That was one of the main reasons I came away when I came away, Rome for my birthday (I went to Florence actually) and for Christmas, and New Years Eve in San Marco. Tick, Tick and TICK!
I started today with a stinker of a headache but went out for a walk in -1 degrees (still no sign of snow, sun is shining) to get some fresh air into my head. Great idea, but I forgot about everyone smoking. I walked and walked until I found the bus stop - the bus that drives on the road not on water - for the bus that goes to the airport but since finding the bus I discovered there is a water bus, I will get that. Then I walked and walked until I found my way back to San Marco, some lunch then back to the Nunnery. It is now 4pm and getting dark. There is rain expected tomorrow but clear for tonight's big fireworks on the grand canale. Should be fab!
Some photos from this morning's walkabout - I will add from tonight later when I get home or in the morning -
Rialto Bridge this morning
This afternoon I planned on having a snooze before I went to the opera and into San Marco. That was fine until the two nearby churches decided to have a bell ringing ring-off. It seemed to go forever, and it was still going after I'd had a shower and got ready and left to go out! I'm guessing it was a new years eve thing, they went quiet after about an hour or more and have been quiet since.
I found the place where the opera was to be then went and had a hot chocolate, not as thick as the other day but very chocolate! Then I wandered around for a while until it was time to go to the opera, I had to line up but only for about 15 minutes - nothing as drastic as Christmas eve!
The Opera was fabulous
The opera was fantastic, I absolutely LOVED it!
It was in an old palazza - the first act was set in the passageway. They had chairs all set up and a space at the front for the four piece orchestra and the actors. The actors used all the space available to them including the aisle and toilet space! I managed to snaffle a seat in the front row and had a woman sitting next to me helping the orchestra, her hand was bloody annoying as she 'directed' the orchestra and singers!! She obviously knew the songs well because she knew when the dramatic parts were!
After a ten minute intermission we moved to another room, this time I tried to sit in the same space by there was a woman sitting in the front row with spaces beside her and she yelled at me "NO!! we are four!!!" I said ok, it would be my pleasure for you to have these seats and I sat in the row behind her, she was very very French and had the hardest face I have seen for a while! Second act was very funny, I laughed aloud at a few spots - even though the opera was in Italian I could sort of understand it, I knew the story line and the actors made it easy to understand with their movements and facial expressions.
Third act and we had to move to another room and Frenchy had to sit in the row behind me, what a shame.
It was a fabulous set up with the rooms acting as the stages and the audience were part of the stage,
On the way to the Opera
The room where the first act was played - audience members were seated on both sides of the room plus rows in the space you cannot see - I was front and centre! Great spot
On the way to the Opera
The room where the first act was played - audience members were seated on both sides of the room plus rows in the space you cannot see - I was front and centre! Great spot
Part of the ceiling of the room that the second act was played in
After the opera I walked into San Marco and was surprised to find not many people in the piazza at all, so I walked towards the waterfront and there was hundreds of people there, apparantely that's where the fireworks are. By this time it was only 11 so I wandered around for a while because it was too cold to stand still, but by about 12.45 it was getting really really uncomfortable for me crowded at the waterfront so I started to walk towards the centre of the piazza and as that got more and more crowded I moved to the back of the piazza which ended up being the best spot because when it was time to leave I could make a fast get away. I didn't end up staying for all the fireworks, I left after about ten minutes to get ahead of the crowd.
San Marco, New Year's Eve 2017
San Marco, New Year's Eve, 2017
The Christmas Tree in San Marco
I got back to the nunnery by about 12.30 which would have made the nuns happy, it's a late night for them considering curfew is usually 11!
Right now it is 1am and there are people yelling and carrying on outside - I'm guessing in the laneway - I hope they get tired soon!
New Years Eve in San Marco - TICK!
Happy New Year!!
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