text and images Britt-Arnhild Wigum Lindland
The third weekend in July is Festa del Redentore. "You will celebrate with us" Mauro told us. "First dinner in our house. Then we will go out in my boat, all of us, to see the fireworks at midnight"
Marta, Terje and I spent the day walking around in Venezia, and had lunch at Zattere, where we could see right over to the Palladio church Il Redentore.
Afterwards we walked down to see the bridge they build over the laguna every year for this special celelbration.
I was well prepared through guidebooks and internet, and had a lot to tell Terje and Marta about the festa. You can read yourself here.
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Late in the afternoon we walked over the island to where Mauro and Barbara live. We know our way around the island of Murano now. Marta could finally hold baby Linda and play more with Irene. The table filled with food, and the festa had started.
Italians know how to prepare food, and they know how to eat. We are learning, and we love what we learn.
A shared family meal around an Italian table. I must pinch my arm to wake myself up from a dream.
We can't stop talking about the first time we found Mauro's shop, and again and again we say thanks to the good fairy that lead us into the shop and made me write the very first blogpost about Mauro and his art.
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The sun was about to go down. Barbara and the girls took us on a walk while Mauro did the dishes, and then it was time to gather in the small boat. Canal Grande and Sant Mark's basin was our goal.
Crossing the laguna, heading into narrow canals, and then out into Canal Grande.....
Suddenly I knew - This Is A dream
When will I wake up?
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Around midnight it was time for the grand finale, a 40 minutes firework. Red, white and green to celebrate the republic of Venezia, flowers, hearts, stars.....all the shape and colours you can imagine. Our boat was right outside St. Mark's Square and it felt like the fireworks were set up just for us!
Driving home along canals so tiny I could almost reach out to touch the houses on both sides. "Now we are gangsters" Mauro said "It is impossible to pass through here. But we will make it"
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I don't want to wake up.
