Venice Day 2

Hardly slept again, and then at 5am the seagulls started squawking raucously, presumably heralding the arrival of fish at the Rialto Market. By 7am the Canal and Market are busy, busy, busy, locals, business people, children being taken to school in motor boats, tourists, a gondola ferry from the Market to Campo S Sofia.
Meeting for breakfast (rather sweet croissants), we decide to tackle St Mark's first. Whilst I studied the map, Charles sorted out the techy stuff and managed to slim it down to the tripod bag, my rucksack and a carrier bag. So off we go - a walk to Ca d'Oro, vaporetto to St Mark's, where, despite the morning being relatively juvenile, we are faced with hordes of tourists sounding not dis-similar to the earlier seagulls. Most of them also appeared to be grossly overweight, which offends C most frightfully, and they had a particularly nasty habit of standing right in front of the camera mounted on its tripod as if it, and its 6ft4in operator, were invisible. Gentle reader, you can well imagine that by the end of the morning, poor Charles was not the happiest of bunnies (to put it mildly).
Anyway, soldier on we did, the big camera, the Super8, a cute little Linux for blog shots and Libby in charge of the Nikon. Piper, Rigby and Brangwyn (FB) had all produced countless images of the Piazza, Piazzeta, campanile, St Mark's, Doge's Palace, the two columns, Bridge of Sighs, Danieli, and views from the Riva of San Giorgio Maggiore, the Dogana and Salute. Half of these buildings were covered in scaffolding or Sisley-wrap, the artists had conveniently moved some buildings to produce a more pleasing composition, there was no shade, the equipment was heavy, temperature 31C. Nightmarish! A ridiculously priced bottle of water certainly helped matters. Libby becomes obsessed with marble patterning (see below) and architectural details.We finally finished about 13.30 and took the equipment back to the hotel before finding a little bar where we indulged in mozzarella and tomato salad, a glass each (we felt we deserved it), followed by an espresso. Just what the Dr ordered but at £28 a trifle pricey!
Collected equipment for the afternoon session and C changed into his beloved Birkenstock clogs. Retraced yesterday's walk. First stop the lovely Campo S Maria Nova where we filmed S Maria dei Miracoli (matching Piper and Rigby images) and made some sound recordings. The reflections in water and the canals generally start waylaying us at every turn - beautiful photographic and filmic opportunities. CM stopped for a Mask opportunity (see below).
From there to Campo Zanipolo (Piper and FB 'did' the Scuolo and FB did the Ponte del Cavallo) where we also shot (not literally you understand) the little cafe, the canal, children skipping. On to the Ospedaletto (c/o Piper), not easy to photograph in narrow street, amazing Atlantes. More fascinating canal stops. Saw some lovely glass jewellery in a little shop - might have to return! Found a wonderful shop where the wine is sold by the litre from huge flagons so we filled up the water bottle - a mere 2 euros per litre, so vastly cheaper than water! On to Campo S Maria Formosa where we stopped for a necessary break and un' ombra. Restored, we filmed the church (Piper) and the delightful 15th century marble relief above the Ponte del Paradiso (FB) - scaffolding next door needless to say. Onwards to San Giorgio dei Greci (Rigby) and San Zaccaria (Piper and Rigby). A final sprint to the vaporetto stop and back to the hotel by 8.30 which makes a 10 1/2 hour day! Noted by Libby's feet which have developed 2 large blood blisters. Ugh.
Tried the flagon wine (pas mal), munched some olives. Walked to Ca d'Oro but no room so booked for tomorrow and ended up at a tiny place near the hotel where I had fried squid (yum) and C had liver and persuaded me to try some. And you know what, it was a revelation, delicious and not a bit like school liver!