Guggenheim Museum

I walked around to the station this morning and caught the vaporetto to Santa Maria della Salute and walked to the point known as No. 1 Dorsoduro to check out the view. I went there the other day on my walking tour except it was so foggy we couldn't see anything but fog. Today it was clear and you get a lovely view of Giudecca - the island opposite San Marco - and a different view of the Doge's Palace.

The fish market on my canal every morning

Fruit and veg on my canal every morning

San Marco from No 1 Dorsoduro

Giudecca from No. 1 Dorsoduro

I left there after a while and walked to the Guggenheim. On the way I passed a lot of artisan shops, one I saw the other day with the most amazing lights that the designer had made. They would be worth thousands and thousands but they were amazing!

Then I walked past a jewellers, stopped, went back, had another look and then decided to go in. I was checking out one necklace and was wondering where I would wear a necklace like that to justify spending the amount of money. Then I decided that I would wear it anywhere I wanted and I don't have to justify spending money. So I bought it.

Then I arrived at Guggenheim. Way to make a good day go to shit. I went in to buy my ticket and the chick asked if I wanted a paper guide for 5 euro or an audio guide for 7 euro. She said the audio guide was really good so I said ok I will have one of those. She gave me the ticket for the audio guide and told me to go to the chick two chicks down to pick up the audio guide.

I get to audio chick and hand her my ticket. That's when it all started going to shit. She wanted me to leave something with my name on it as security for the (7 euro) audio set. I only had my credit card so wasn't leaving that and I told her I didn't have anything with my name on it. She just looked at me and said again she needed something with my name on as security or she wouldn't be able to give me an audio guide. Ok I said, give me my money back because I don't have anything with my name on it. Audio chick calls out to money chick who has two lines of people waiting to be served by her, that I don't want to leave something with my name on it so I want my money back. Everyone just turns and looks at me like I was a criminal. I looked at audio chick and said "No, it's not that I don't want to leave anything with my name on it, it is because I don't have anything with my name on it". She calls out again, "She wants her money back because she doesn't want to leave anything with her name on it". I took my 7 euro and walked towards to exhibition.

On the way I saw the café so thought I would go in and have coffee first before going into the exhibition then the museum.

I walked in and stood at the bar - one female behind the bar, one guy leaning all over the bar. The girl says "Madam, this is table service only, go and sit down and we come to you" (I should have just left but no ...) So leaning guy comes over, pen and paper ready, and I said "Cuppacino" he put his pen and paper down and turned around, bought me my coffee and walked away. They certainly didn't mind me being at the bar to pay though.

I walked into the exhibition building to see it all sealed off. I tried another entry. No, sealed off. So, I go to the chick at the ticket booth - different set of booths - and asked how I get in to see the exhibition. She said the Picasso exhibition finished last week and they are installing the new exhibition - didn't they tell me at the ticket office there was no exhibition? No. Oh, they should have, sorry about that, did you want to see the exhibition? I just looked at her and didn't bother answering.

I walked into the museum (that I have seen before). There were a lot of drugs taken by the people whose art hangs in that museum.

Peggy Guggenheim is buried in the garden of the Museum with all of her dogs

I walked into the room where the 3D silver bed head is hanging and fell in love with it. I moved a bit closer to take some detailed photos - I was about a meter away - took my photos and turned around and BANG into one of the museum 'workers' who was about to ask me to move away - I just looked at her and said "I wasn't going to touch it!".

Beautiful

After that I decided I had had about enough of Guggenheim and the stupidity of the young females who all thought they were the boss of the world there. I went out on to the 'verandah' (not sure what the correct name for the area would be) and checked out the amazing view that place has. After a while, I left.

Walking back towards Cannaregio I discovered areas I haven't been to before, which I think unless I was here for years would always happen. Stopped off and had some lunch then walked back towards Cannaregio. Walking over a bridge with two people dressed up for carnival (they are starting to show up everywhere) and one of them gets into my face and asks if I want a photo with a "Doge" "No, grazie" and he starts to follow me, asking for a photo with a "Doge". I stopped. Turned around, looked at him like Miss Durran and said slowly and very clearly "Ho detto No, grazie!" (I said, No Thankyou!). He looked at me like he could not understand why I wouldn't want a photo and I just stared back until he walked away. I don't think they know that No means No in Italy.

I found my way back at the hotel, too early for the bar - I was here around 4, bar opens 5.30 apparently even though the book says 11am, so I went for a walk around the block and ended up going for almost two hours, in the nice, quiet area.