Me and the Customs House (Dogana), Venice

The old domed Customs House sits imposingly and beautifully at the tip of the Dorsoduro district in Venice. I stand on a bridge across the Grand Canal.

Campo Santa Margherita

Selected as one of the world’s 60 great public places by the Project for Public Places, Campo Santa Margherita has an understated appeal — lively enough with everyday (and night) real life composed of a cross-section of locals (not tourists), nestled among a mix of restaurants, cafes, boutiques, grocers, bakeries, residences, and the [...]

The canal outside my “hotel” at night

There was a midnight curfew at the convent, but he got in all right a few minutes late. Given that dinner out wouldn’t be until after 8PM and was leisurely and often entailed drinks elsewhere, my late-night socializing was curtailed. That was unfortunate since the nightlife on the wonderful [...]

My “hotel” in Venice

The conference organizer put us up in the Istituto Canossiano (on the right here), which is basically a convent in the peaceful Dorsoduro district that now rents rooms to students and travelers who can’t afford Venice’s overpriced hotels. The Madres were all very patient and friendly to the 40+ foreigners there.

Before we get back to narrating the wonders of Venice, Goyatunes needs refreshing. Just before I left for the trip I loaded up on tunes previously unheard. iTunes reviews claim that M.Ward “is the real deal.” I agree — this is damn good music, with soul. Even NPR gave a favorable review of his latest [...]