Well, Readers, today we were at the Bienniale, Venice’s two-yearly art festival, and as usual it was a combination between a funfair and a fiesta. We visited the site at the Arsenale, one of my favourite spots in Venice, not least for the collection of lions looted from all over Europe at the front gates. This was where the Venetian Empire delighted in its ability to knock up a complete warship while a visiting monarch was having a (long) lunch. These days the long buildings where ropes used to be knotted and masts constructed are full of art installations instead.

It was also ‘visit the Bienniale with a class of nursery-school children’ day, but the little ones were so enthusiastic, and the teachers were so good at involving their pupils in the art that it was a real delight. After all, while there’s a lot of art here with very serious intent, a lot of it is also fun.

Here are some of my favourites…

I really liked the Italian pavilion, featuring art by Chiara Camoni. The space was filled with figures that reminded me of woodland or household deities, all different, all intriguing. They had a lot of presence, without being overly sinister, for me at least.

I also really liked the Moroccan pavilion, which featured a lot of textile work, which I greatly admired. I know how long it takes me to knock up a baby jacket, so goodness knows how long some of these took….

And then we headed home to Cannaregio, via the Linea One vaporetto. Usually this route is absolutely rammed, as it’s one of the few that travel up the Grand Canal, but for some reason one came in which was half empty, so we got spectacular views of the palazzos and churches. All in all, a busy but stimulating day, rounded off with a very nice beer on the canal opposite the hotel. What a joy this place is!