Venice: Let its magnificence captivate you with timeless wonders

Venice charms: sights and sounds to savor abound.  Venice has imposed tourist taxes and banned
large ships from its precarious canals -- to the good of this famous, fascinating city. Above and
below/right & left, the canals of Venice offer views you won't see anywhere else in the world.
 If you enjoy architecture, you'll  love the palazzos along the canals, including Peggy
Guggenheim's home, now a lovely museum with her world class collection.

SAVOR THE SIGHTS, SOUNDS OF ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST ELEGANT CITIES

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS

PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

VENICE MAY be sinking inch by inch, but her allure rises each year.

 

So popular is the classic Italian destination -- with its gondolas,  piazzas and bridges -- that the city started charging an entry fee — a so-called tourist tax. It is aimed at the influx of day-trippers to discourage crowds a bit.

We found on a recent return visit, that the crowds are increasing, but so is our fascination with this unique and beautiful city.

We happily paid the fee of five euros, which allowed access for the day to Venice and the minor islands of the Venetian Lagoon.

Repair is constant with Venetian Gothic architecture
typical of Venice. One sees it in dozens of aging buildings,
 with influence from Byzantine architecture and Islamic
touches, too, all reflecting Venice's trading network. 

OUR VENICE visit was between two Mediterranean cruises, and we wanted a day in a city which holds wonderful memories for each of us.

Venice represents the paradox of modern tourism as residents of this lovely city, and many other cities and islands, protest the influx of cruise ships and tour buses. They're tired of the crowds and all the inconvenience and damage that comes with the invasion of thousands of extra people.
Yet, local businesses rely on the tourist trade, and we are tourists.

Water taxis are the way to see the most of Venice's
magnificent architecture. Public transportation
is available in the larger vaporetti. 

No more so than in Venice, where Napoleon entered in 1797. As he sipped a cognac in San Marco Square, he deemed it "the best drawing room in Europe."

We paid a fortune last trip for a gondola ride on the Grand Canal, but who can resist a gondolier singing snippets of Bizet and Puccini? Gondola rides run various prices, but figure at least $75 for 15 or 20 minutes of glorious viewing -- plus an aria! 

THE CITY'S public transport is the popular vaporetti -- water rides for the masses. They are much cheaper than private water taxis and move on frequent intervals along the Grand Canal. They also take visitors and locals to Lido, Murano, Burano and more.

VENICE IS a wonderful place to enjoy some of the world's great food and drink items.  We dropped by Harry's Bar, made famous by Ernest Hemingway, where the Bellini cocktail was born. We sipped this enticing blend of peach juice and prosecco. For appetizers at a cafe nearby, we ordered carpaccio, also born in Venice. You'll pay more to dine in one of the crowded restaurants of Piazza San Marco, but you won't have a better view of Venetian life. We enjoy the panoply of people visiting the city: lovers holding hands, teens with backpacks, businessmen in beautiful

A waiter serves bread and wine
as we view the Grand Canal.
Waiters in Venice are among the
 world's best, true professionals.

suits, parents with strollers, shoppers stopping for a coffee with canvas bags of bread, fruit, cheese, meat and wine. 

Italians love their bread, and dip it in olive oil -- with or without balsamic vinegar -- and sometimes a pinch of salt. We enjoyed sweet red peppers for a picnic, with a jar of mussels and slab of that subtle, smooth and satisfying Italian cheese, asiago, named after a quaint nearby village. 

WE RETURNED TO  Venice's famous Peggy Guggenheim Museum Collection  
to admire her  personal collection, which includes her favorite pieces by Picasso, Pollock, Calder and Dali. 

We wandered into her sculpture garden, and admired temporary exhibitions. all different than the ones we saw two years ago. The "art sharp" socialite was the daughter of Benjamin Guggenheim, and inherited a half million dollars after the death of her father aboard the Titanic. She invested it in art.

You'll likely arrive by gondola or water taxi
to the lovely Peggy Guggenheim Museum with
her wondrous, world class collection. 

 

We ended our day at the museum's enchanting sculpture garden with works of Arp, Duchamp-Villon, Fazzini, Giacometti, Holzer, and more. May we return, again and again, for who could grow tired of Venice? 

Samuel Johnson said when one tires of London, one tires of life. I'd say the same of glorious Venice. 

 

English influence can be seen throughout the Falklands.  

UP NEXT: From the charms of Venice, music in Montana and a train trek through the mountains of Italy and Switzerland, we head south to the famous islands off the tip of Argentina. We take readers to Islas Malvinas, the Falkland Islands, and explore the controversy. northeast of the southern tip of South America, the Falklands are made up of two main islands, East Falkland and West Falkland, plus 200 smaller islands. The influence of England is everywhere, but the islands have been contested and are known in Argentina as "Islas Malvinas." Prime fishing and delightful penguin viewing are among its attractions. We focus on Stanley on East Falkland. Meanwhile, remember to explore, learn and live and catch us weekly for a fresh spin on travel, nature, family, performance and more: www.whereiscookie.com

Queen Mary 2 offers "old world" service where passengers are royalty

 All aboard Queen Mary 2. Travel writers Christene "Cookie" Meyers, and Bruce Keller, below,
at afternoon tea, eagerly await their second crossing on QM2. They traveled the westbound route earlier
this summer and will soon embark on the eastbound crossing, New York to Southampton. 

CROSSING FIT FOR A QUEEN OFFERS ENDLESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR ACTIVITY OR TO SIMPLY SAVOR, RELAX, ENJOY 

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS
PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers
worked out every morning to allow them a
few extra calories at QM2's afternoon tea.

I CRIED when my favorite Queen Elizabeth 2, made her final voyage.  It was in 2008. This venerable ship languished for a decade before being converted to a floating hotel in Dubai's Port Rashid in 2018. 
I'd crossed the Atlantic five times on QE2, sailed the Norwegian fjords in her penthouses, and  played piano in her elegant bars.
I cried again -- tears of joy -- aboard Queen Mary 2, which revives the stylish tradition of the world's grand ocean liners. Grandeur lives on in Cunard Cruise Line's fleet where passengers experience the old world elegance of a not yet bygone era. We're so smitten, we've stayed several times in the original Queen Mary, now a hotel in Long Beach, California. And we are about to embark on our second QM2 crossing. 

Queen Mary keeps sentinel aboard
 QM2, in this elegant bronze.

CUNARD GROOMS its team to continue the line's elegant traditions aboard four luxurious ships: Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth, Queen Victoria and Queen Anne.  The quartet's  diverse itineraries include Europe, Asia and North America. QM2 was completed in 2003 and reigns as the world's only trans-Atlantic ocean liner to offer regular, often sold-out service between New York and Southampton.  So what accounts for her demand? We asked David Shepard, QM2's dapper hotel manager, to explain the ship's popularity.

LEADING THE "appeals list," he said at a cocktail party, is the variety of offerings during the week-long crossing. If one can't be amused or entertained on QM2, he's probably on life support. We observed a happy mix of passengers, in both black tie and blue jeans, a metaphor for QM2's allure. While most  American travelers don't prefer formal nights, many Brits and Europeans do. So Cunard offers those, with alternatives if one doesn't care to don tux or gown. One can dress to the nines, with white glove waiters and ballroom dancing, or laze in a robe for the best room service afloat. Restaurants and buffets offer everything from appetizers to decadent desserts. Friendly waiters share recipes and send print-outs to your stateroom. Dining venues depend on what class room you've booked.

Pet lovers may cross with their 
beloved animals -- in QM2 style.

 

OTHER SHIPS allow only service dogs on board. QM2 boasts a loyal following of devoted pet lovers who know she's the only ship that allows them to cross the pond with their pups and cats. We met three couples who have crossed multiple times, lured by daily visitations and the pampering their pets get from the ship's kennel master.

VARIETY IS QM2's hallmark. There's a table tennis tournament, a spectacular planetarium, and a jazzy DJ nightclub if one doesn't want to swirl in Queens Room, the largest ballroom at sea.  There are classic movies in your stateroom, fencing classes, wine tastings, a huge gym and lavishly appointed spa. We enjoyed fine lectures and strolled the Deck 7 promenade. We admired the art deco motif as we  walked the grand staircase, part of a 2017 remastering with a budget of $177 million.  

David Shepard continues
Cunard's old-world
elegance and tradition
as QM2 hotel manager.

How to cross with your pet   

White gloved waiters reflect tradition 
and formality. QM2's afternoon
tea is one of the ship's draws.

QUEEN MARY 2 is the crown jewel of one of the world's smallest fleets. Yet Cunard is perhaps the best-known cruise line, with her 184 years of history dating to 1840.

Founder Samuel Cunard, a savvy businessman from Halifax, Nova Scotia, had a vision of elegance that remains the focus of the line.  Portraits of him, looking dapper and distinguished, are flanked by elaborate floral arrangements throughout the ship.
 The line's iconic status gives Shepard a high standard of tradition to maintain. 

Sir Samuel Cunard,
founder of the line,
is remembered in
portraits on QM2.

FORMALITY combines with the feeling "that one is enjoying something unique," he says. Because our crossing capped a two-month trip, we didn't have full black tie for the formal nights. When other ships were dropping those, Cunard listened to clients who enjoy dressing up. So we admired fellow passengers in jazzy flapper outfits, complete with fringe and bow ties and joined them to enjoy a string quartet, elegant meal and ballroom dancing in the Queens Room. There are other old-world touches: two ornate theaters, white glove embarkation service, luncheon piano concerts and matinees, dozens of formally arranged artworks, and afternoon tea with luscious scones. (See recipe below.) 

SMOOTH SAILING is another advantage of crossing on QM2.

Actors show aspiring fencers how it's done.
We watched fellow passengers learn the art.
 

She was designed to be "steady on" as she transits occasionally turbulent seas, keeping passengers comfy and safe. My sailor husband explained that her hull has a deeper draft than cruise ships. Her bow moves sleekly through waves while less sturdy ships may bounce.
We've crossed on smaller ships where the captain asked us to remain in our cabins during rough seas. Once, an 8-day crossing turned to 11 days as we struggled through 25-foot waves at seven knots. QM2 can cut through rough waters at 23 and 24 knots.  

Top lecturers are a draw
aboard QM2, here an
engaging talk on the
colorful life of Gala
and Salvador Dali.

She weighs in at 151,400 tons, the largest passenger ship when she was christened by Queen Elizabeth 2 in 2004. But while most similarly sized vessels carry 4,000 or 4,500 passengers, she carries only around 2,600 passengers. Plenty of space including our sheltered veranda, which allowed fresh air in privacy, even on a cool day.

A BIG HOORAY for QM2's actual library, overlooking her bow. We were happily distracted for  hours with hundreds of books -- a rarity in today's cruising world when most ships have done away with old-fashioned libraries. Queen Mary's is well stocked with a knowledgeable librarian.

Cookie enjoys a real library
on QM2, a rarity these days.

Because there are no ports of call on QM2's crossings, shipboard activities are crucial to us. Others awaken to a mimosa, nap after a mid-day meal, play a game of bridge. We like movies, concerts and lectures with topics ranging from the future and technology, to "life on the road" with a British journalist, to stories of the Concorde airplane by a seasoned pilots. Cunard's excellent "Insights" lecturers   

Bruce Keller and Christene
"Cookie" Meyers dressed 
up to dance aboard QM2.

are authors, actors, professors, CEOs, ambassadors and other professionals.  On QE2,  I'd interviewed actor Kevin Kline, composer Andre Previn and director Josh Logan. So I was delighted that quality continues in QM2's lectures on the cold war, space travel, espionage, politics and theater. A favorite lecture featured eccentric surrealist artist Salvador Dali and his promoter/wife Gala.

QM2's CONCERTS and theater cuttings are fabulous, too, from classical music to the Royal Shakespeare Company. We dipped in both the indoor and outdoor swimming pools, considered the offerings of QM2's Canyon Ranch spa, invested in the casino, picked up gifts at the shops, and explored a dozen bars and lounges. We kept active dawn to dusk, rousing ourselves for exercise class in the Queens Room, snacking, reading, taking in lectures, movies,  afternoon tea, dinner, a show, then ending the day full circle with a dance in that versatile Queens Room.  Sleep at last, to dream of QM2, with our veranda door cracked to the sound of the sea.

TRY MAKING CUNARD'S SCONES:

2 cups flour

A Queen Mary 2 scone,
with blueberry jam and
clotted cream. Divine.

4 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
⅔ cup milk

1 large egg

1 cup raisins
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Mix lightly flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Blend, not too much stirring.
3. Add the butter, egg, milk, raisins.

4. Drop on buttered pan. Bake until golden brown, checking at 12-15 minutes. Serve with jam and clotted or whipped cream. Add finger sandwiches to really be authentic.

Venice folks have mixed feelings about tourism. Many
businesses need the patronage of thousands of visitors
but many others don't appreciate the ill effects of tourism.
Fall is a good time to visit, when the crowds are subsiding.

UP NEXT: The allure of Venice.  It's not the same cruising into Venice today, since cruise ships have been banned from the city front and Grand Canal.  But even while the fabled city is being overrun by tourists, and a visitor's tax has been implemented, it is still one of the world's most glorious places. We encourage a visit in fall, while one can find a table to savor the sights and sounds after the crush of tourists subsides. Meanwhile, remember to explore, learn and live and catch us weekly for a fresh spin on travel, nature, family, performance and more: www.whereiscookie.com

 

 

Tourists, go home! Demonstrators protest crowds in southern Europe

 

Crowds on our recent crossing of the Ponte Vecchio in Florence illustrate the overcrowding which
is taxing the patience and pocketbooks of locals, causing anti-tourist demonstrations across Europe.

The complex problem of over-tourism is the focus of today's
column.  We experienced protestors and understand their view.

LOCALS PROTEST AS TOO MANY PEOPLE TAX FOOD & TOUR SERVICES, WATER SUPPLY, DRIVE UP HOUSING 

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS

PHOTOS By BRUCE MEYERS 

We photographed this scene in the Canary Islands
earlier this year. We viewed the rally from our bus.

FOR THE day first time in many trips to Europe, we experienced  "tourist go home" demonstrations.

We sympathize with the protestors, but it's a strange feeling. We have mixed feelings about this phenomenon.

On the one hand, we travel to enjoy ourselves, relax, as we spend money to take in familiar and new sights. We are courteous and tip well. But not all locals want us in southern Europe. 

The day we docked in Santorini, above, three other ships
were in port. Seven ships have docked on other days. 

WE UNDERSTAND their feelings because while many businesses rely on tourism, others view increasing crowds as a plague.  They claim over-tourism  is damaging the land, economy and spirits. It's a fact that in some places, rents have more than doubled in five years and lines to access museums, buses and cable cars can wrap around a city block.

Recently, we experienced crushing crowds in Santorini. This caused residents of this idyllic island to balk when they were told to stay home last week.  Why? Because in a single day, 17,000 tourists descended on their lovely land, famous for its blue and white architecture and hilltop vistas.

One way to avoid crowds is to rent a car as
we did a few weeks ago in Lanzarote.

We saw protestors in the Canary Islands, too, where locals are insisting that the government rethink tourism policies. This "Tourist Go Home" mentality was on signs, on banners and on the lips of protestors as anger rises.

Crowds and lines to book tours and get a table
at a resident are a common sight these days. 

It's a complicated issue. Over-tourism is putting pressure on health services, waste management, water supplies and housing at the expense of residents.  

Restrictions are inevitable as crowds cause a rise in real estate prices, environmental pollution, traffic congestion, general overcrowding and a water shortage.

Crowds overflow in Santorini, awaiting sunset. Bars and
cafes are packed these days; but many locals are not happy.

Still ship passengers are flowing into southern Europe by the thousands. Venice is expected to attract 540,000 cruise ship passengers this year, a near 10 percent increase from 2023, according to the North Adriatic Sea Port Authority.
As the city is overrun by tourists, a visitor's tax has been implemented. Cruise lines are now docking farther from city center which helps the structural and environmental integrity of over-touristed cities and ports. Of course it it makes transportation into "the action" more difficult and expensive for us.  Again, we understand and try to do our part to preserve these beautiful places for a return visit. Somehow, a compromise must be reached. 

 

Queen Mary 2 awaits passengers in Southampton,
where passengers board for a crossing to New York.

UP NEXT: The world's most famous cruise line, Cunard, has the corner on the market in a number of areas. For one, it boasts the world's only true ocean liner. We hop aboard Queen Mary 2 for a nostalgic crossing -- "brilliant," as our British friends say. We explore Cunard's small but stylish fleet of four ships which take passengers back to the golden age of ocean voyages. As a luxurious liner, QM2 sits sleek and sound on the water and can achieve higher speeds and smoother rides than cruise ships, which are designed for leisure and recreation. QM2 offers plenty of that, too. Come join us, remembering to explore, learn and live: www.whereiscookie.com

 

Porcelain potter retires from studio, parts with treasured collection

 

Rick Cosgriffe's decades long fascination with Oriental brush stroke painting shows in his graceful
and detailed work. These jars are inspired by the wildflowers of his native Montana.

SUMI BRUSH PAINTING INFLUENCED MONTANA BORN ARTIST'S STYLE

PORCELAIN COLLECTION GOES FOR SALE AS ARTIST MARKETS SHOW PIECES

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS

PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

Artist Cosgriffe's fine porcelain pottery caught the eye of
New York Times art critic John Canaday, who called his
pieces "elegant -- still wet with the feel of the brush."

PORCELAIN  has ancient roots in the world of art.

And for many years, a Montana native has been carefully creating fine arts porcelain show pieces.

Artist Rick Cosgriffe is  retiring his pottery studio, selling a collection of unique pieces he has crafted since the 1970s during  three decades at the potter's wheel.

Rick's hand painted bowls, vases and platters
reflect his study of sumi painting and his love
of nature and the American west as well. 

The one of a kind collection spans his entire career, showcasing his evolution as an award winning potter, based for many years on the west coast. 

Rick in Europe last
month with his brother-in-
law Bruce Keller.

If this sounds boastful or braggadocious, it's because I'm his sister and a fan. 

Cherry blossoms and birds are frequent motifs in Cosgriffe's
art, here on a platter featuring the faithful chickadee.

I've watched him grow as an artist since we were children drawing birthday cards. Rick left Montana in the early 1970s to apprentice at the Hayes Pottery Studio in Point Arena, California.  Jim Hayes, a native New Yorker and my brother-in-law, invited Rick to study ceramics and learn the craft. It was soon apparent to Jim and his wife, my late sister Peny, that Rick had tremendous talent. As his reputation grew on the west coast, I helped promote his art and sell his porcelain at art fairs and juried shows, including Yellowstone Art Museum. One of our patrons was the wife of the owner of the Seattle Seahawks. She spent thousands on vases,  platters, lamps, jars and bowls and promoted Rick's work in high-end galleries.
IT IS WITH mixed emotion that I announce Rick is parting with his collection at a show and sale this weekend (details below). I will never part with my collection, acquired during many art shows together. My pay each show was a work of art so my collection features Rick's evolution. 

I have collected my brother's hand painted
porcelain for decades. These lovely jars hold
 teas, coffee and sugar for hummingbird nectar.

When I interviewed New York Times art critic John Canaday,  I invited him to our home to show him Rick's pottery. "It has elegance, and enduring beauty," he said with admiration. "It is still wet with the feel of the brush." 

FOR YEARS, Rick's pottery was shown in galleries from San Francisco to Taos, Denver, Whitefish and Red Lodge, and in Billings at Toucan Gallery.  After suffering "burnout" from the rigors of production and shows, Rick's career segued from pottery to nature  photography and writing, a move to Montana, return to university and a degree in counseling. He worked for years at Passages in Billings, helping troubled women return to society and productive life. He retired from Passages but developed another arts career, collaborating with his partner Jane on calendars, mugs, photographs and journals.  Despite  dealing with Parkinson's, he remains an accomplished artist and writer, but no longer creates porcelain art. He jogs daily, and friends from our hometown of Columbus, Montana, remember his excellence as an athlete and devoted runner.

Rick Cosgriffe with his Montana photos. They will
 be available this weekend, along with his porcelain

MY BROTHER'S art is informed by a lifelong interest in travel, in art of many cultures and a particular interest in sumi painting. In reflecting on his work with porcelain -- known for both its delicacy and durability -- Rick pays homage to porcelain artists of centuries past. "Japanese, Chinese and Korean artists worked with classic celadon glazes." Porcelain, he adds, lends itself to graceful glazing "and is an excellent canvas for brush painting." Potters know how difficult it is to paint on curved surfaces rather than a flat canvas. Thus Rick's work reflects both talent and patience. It's been my pleasure to be part of my brother's artful world for many years. I encourage admirers and collectors not to miss this weekend's show. I'll be the one with the hanky.

Art show and sale details: Buyers can browse and collect a piece of Cosgriffe's unique, one-of-a-kind porcelain artwork during a three-day show this weekend at 1311 Hardrock Drive, Billings, Montana, 59105. His elegant work will be displayed on his back patio, during a neighborhood sale. Times are Friday, Sept. 6, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 7, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, Sept. 8, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The complex problem of over-tourism is the focus of our
next column.  We experienced protestors and understand.

UP NEXT: Tourists go home! We felt the frustration and anger of locals on a recent return to Europe. There we were -- enjoying ourselves, spending money, taking in familiar and new sights. But not all the locals want us in southern Europe. We understand their feelings, because tourism has done damage, along with providing income for many.  This "Tourist Go Home" mentality was on both signs and on the lips of protestors during this most recent trip to Europe. It's a complicated issue. Over-tourism is putting pressure on health services, waste management, water supplies and housing at the expense of residents. We delve into the problem in the next piece. Meanwhile, remember to enjoy, live and learn, and catch us weekly for a fresh spin on travel, performance, nature, family and more: www.whereiscookie.com