Mosquitos Bigger Than Your Head

Here's the trick to traveling in Italy and viewing art. You must end your art tour in Venice at one of the many places here that display modern and contemporary art. The most famous is the Peggy Guggenheim Collection at her home – now a museum – on the Grand Canal. Or try the Palazzo Grassi. Not as famous; just as fabulous.

I'll speak for myself - If I see one more Baby Jesus bouncing on his mother's knee, or one more St. Sebastion punctured by arrows, or one more variation on the Pieta theme, I'll scream. (My apologies, again, to Cincinnati's Mary Hoffman, "Sacred Queen of All Volleyball."

The Guggenheim is truly a modern art Walk of Fame. Even early in their artistic careers, that woman could spot the comers. As one unidentified person in our group said about Peggy, "She just liked to buy shit, but she had a good eye."

After a guide told us about all the patron-artist "relationships" Peggy had had with many of the artists of her time, I began to hear those quotation marks around the word and what she was really saying.

New topic: How to irritate the waiters in an Italian bar or caffe. Go inside, order something and then go to a table, inside or out, and sit down. They hate that here. When you buy inside, stuff costs less and you're expected to consume it standing up. That's the Italian way. Tables are reserved for people who pay a slightly higher price and get waiter service. Once you sit and pay that premium, you "own" that table. Stay all day and nurse an espresso if you want.

Even Newer Topic: I've been thinking about a new watch. Two similar style brands have caught my attention. U-Boat (unfortunate name for a great watch). Bell & Ross. U-Boat watches were available in Florence. Went there, shopped, and decided not to buy that brand. Cost of watch was $2,000. Saved $2,000 by not buying. Found Bell & Ross here in Venice. Cost was $3,000. Again, I didn't buy. Total savings = $5,000. I made money on this trip. My traveling companions say there's a flaw in my reasoning. I say they're jealous because of my huge savings.

Oh yeah, the mosquitos travelers here complain about. This city was built on a watery bog for god's sake. There will be mosquitos bigger than your head.

After almost two weeks of Italian tourist food, it was a pleasure tonight to eat at a Mideastern-Greek restaurant, Frary's on San Polo 2559. Very nice change. But afterwards, that was another story. Venice is the best place on earth to get lost in. Except at 9pm on a really rainy night, and you're lost, and you only have one umbrella for four people. After some wandering around, we did find our way back. Actually, it was an adventure.

At 4:30 tomorrow morning we must walk to the bus piazza in order to get a bus for the airport. We have a 7am flight.

PHOTO NOTE: Left to right - Jack, Robin, Jerry, Wendi before it rained.