Scenes of Venezia

Venice is gorgeous.

It was so cold that the Gondolas were all buttoned up.

The Rialto Bridge. We stayed in an apartment a few minutes walk from here.

The seagulls were still enjoying Venice, even in the snow.

The sun came out on Sunday!

Carnevale in Venezia

We felt fortunate to find ourselves in Venice during the celebration of Carnevale in Venice this year.

CARNEVALE IN HISTORY
Carnivale was the celebration during which participants had license to really celebrate everything that would be given up before the start of Lent. The name of Carnevale is attributed to the idea of the "Death of Meat" as meat is off limits during Lent. Historically, participants would wear masks, blurring the lines between the aristocrats and the plebeians, celebrating equality.

CARNEALE 2012
Just as it was in the past, Carnevale is a party! It includes masks, costumes (period and otherwise), wine fountains, Frittelle, costume contests and performances. Take a look!

The stage set up in the Piazza San Marco. The viewing areas to the right and left of the stage were selling for 800 Euros/day.

Dance performance

Period dance to Bach's Minuet in C

Wine Fountain!

MASKS!

Masks were sold (and worn) all over town

Senor Walker

Hats had to stay on-- it was freezing!

COSTUMES!

GOODIES

The tray in the top center has a traditional Carnevale food: Fritelle. They are Venetian donuts that can contain fruit or cream. Although it was too cold to sample gelato, we were not shy about trying as much Fritelle as we could stand. It was Carnevale, afterall.

Everybody's favorite: Vueve Cliquot, all dressed for the occassion.

Snow?!

This winter has been one to dream about. It has been (on average) between 40 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit, and has looked like this:

Our backyard (or garden as the Brits say) on January 29, 2012.

But this week, we had a visit from Mr. Winter who brought a lot of the white stuff we thought we would escape.

Our backyard the morning of February 5, 2012.

Here are a few more pics taken in the Abbey Gardens in Bury St. Edmunds. I spent the day in Bury with a friend and her great kids as we waited for our husbands to drive to Stansted Airport, attempt to board a plane to Italy, and return from Stansted Airport due to a cancelled plane. Interestingly enough, the flight was not cancelled due to snow on the runway, but due to a lack of personnel working in the airport. Snow is not a common occurrence here in Britain. Oh, how you make life challenging, beautiful snow.

Abbey Gardens

Because of the lack of snow, everyone was out sledding and making snowmen. There was a particularly adorable little guy, probably about 2 years old, who kept asking my little 5 year old friend (who has never lived in a place with snow before) to make a snowman. She was so cute, and replied: "I'm so sorry. I don't know how to make a snowman. Maybe your Daddy can help you later."

Abbey Gardens

The One Picture

I figured it was time to have at least one wedding picture framed (professionally) so we can remember the special day. So, here it is (Mom, we finally did it):

Our wedding photo, or mural as Adam likes to call it, over our fire place.

Julian Lloyd Webber in Concert

For Christmas, Adam got us tickets to see Julian Lloyd Webber perform. We saw him play, accompanied only by a piano, at the Cambridge Corn Exchange. It was a beautiful concert performed in a really great space. His choice of cello pieces was impeccable. They included: Bach’s Adagio in G, Bridge’s Scherzetto and Elegy, Britten’s Scherzo Pizzicato, Fauré’s Elegie, Delius’ Sonata, his father William Lloyd Webber’s Nocture, and Rachmaninov’s lyrical Sonata. Wish you could have joined us!

Julian Lloyd Webber and his Stradivarius
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After the concert, we proceeded to a party that was lighted only by candles (there were hundreds of tea candles all over the house), where we sampled some delicious drinks (what kind of martinis were those?!), and where we huddled by a fire pit on a chilly winter night. Great party, Paul and Amanda!

The History of the Irish- Dublin (Day 3)

KILMAINHAM GOAL
One of the most enlightening experiences we had was on our last day in Dublin (we flew out Monday evening) was spending time at the Kilmainham Goal, a jail turned museum. It was an incredibly educational experience, reminding us both that it was not so long ago that Ireland experienced incredible tragedy as it struggled for independence, tearing families and friends apart. The story is told well, and the tragedy felt, while touring the Goal; rather an appropriate experience on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

The Jail

The front door of the jail where public hangings took place well into the beginning of the 1900s.

The older portion of the jail is built out of limestone. It was cold and damp, and served as a refuge for hundreds of people who were searching for food and shelter during the potato famine. During the famine, men, women and children were all held in single rooms all together. The ledgers for the jail, held in the museum, show many people held for petty theft (Ex: stealing

Looking out from a cell.

The newest portion of the jail, based on the idea of Foucault's Panopticon.

Looking out from a cell.

Spiral staircase inside Panopticon.

Jail grounds where daily exercise was held. The prisoners walked in a straight line with their hands behind their backs for one hour daily.

The flag and memorial plaque placed for the men killed in 1916 for their role in the Easter Rising.

The plaque honouring the men killed here, in the stone cutter's yard.

A FEW MORE DUBLIN SIGHTS

After the jail, we walked back to our hotel before heading home.

The tallest public sculpture in the world. Also referred to as the knitting needle.

Here it is, up close and personal.

Gardens at the art museum.

The General Post Office was the headquarters for the Easter Rising of 1916.

The River Liffey.

Our last sip of Guinness before heading home.