Valerio, Bilbo e Peggy

Today was orientation day at the Guggenheim. All the interns met over a café and a brioche and they're very friendly and interesting, coming from places as diverse as Moscow and Basel. It's a very international crowd.

The day consisted of a whole series of talks and presentations about the ins and outs of the gallery in an underground library that at times felt not unlike a bunker. First up was the director of the gallery; a short and energetic man, he encouraged us to get out and see Venice at a time when, “there's more art crammed in here than there is in the entire universe”. Then there was the full fire and electricity brief from Valerio, a Venetian in his late 60s, sporting a deep red 'tan' and gaudy golden jewellery who proceeded to give us a chemistry lesson, explaining all about the fire triangle. He was very keen to alert us to the ever present risk of fire, and couldn't resist a cheeky sexist digression about how women faint if they stand up too long and something to the effect that it's much better when they're on maternity leave.

Head of retail was to follow. He gave us a real insight into the facts and figures of the museum. The Peggy Guggenheim shop makes 1 million euros alone a year, selling among other things 80-90, 000 postcards and almost 5,000 rubbers!

A bit startled and far too overloaded with information we were given a comprehensive tour of the museum, including the temperamental photocopier called Bilbo. The collection is eye-poppingly impressive. Every new room you walk into you see a work of 20^th Century art that is instantly recognisable.

It was Aperol all round in Campo Santa Margarita as we relaxed and chatted in the early evening sun.

I've just moved to the island of Giudecca where I'll be staying for July. My flat is very modern and fairly non-descript but I can't complain. I've just spent a wonderful evening with two interns: Andrew, from Toronto and Diane from Basel. We sat around admiring the Giacomettian properties of carrots while a lightening storm raged in the background, sipping grape-flavoured artisan tea. Yep, I'm definitely on a 'yah abroad'.

Scontrini, scontrini, scontrini

Having just awoken from my afternoon nap I've suddenly remembered a curious thing. In Italian law a scontrino or receipt must be given out for anything you buy. So that means this morning when I bought some delicious biscottini with apricot jam a receipt was pointedly placed on the counter even though a whole 100g was demolished in no time at all. Yesterday I even got a receipt with my apple. Good to know that if I find a worm in it I could take it back, proudly presenting my proof of purchase.

These past couple of days have been very pleasant. I've been wondering around with one of the interns, Johnny, who I'm sharing an apartment with until my one becomes free on Giudecca. This is his first time in Europe, let alone Venice, so he's constantly alerting me to how much it differs from his home town of New York city and of course there's the usual banter about how differently we both speak English.

So far we haven't strayed too far from Dorsoduro, which is the southern part of the island where you'll find the Guggenheim. Surprisingly it's not too crowded and it's so nice to wander through deserted squares (which in Venice are called campi rather than piazze) and drop in to the local enoteca to pick up a panino which is made right in front of you with fresh ingredients. It's delicious.

Tonight we're having salad and preparing for orientation day tomorrow by knuckling down for some reading of the Interns resource pack with the monstrous creation that is half chicken/half Vanessa that my wife gave me as a leaving present, Gertrude.

Defying Gravity on the Uke

So this is the video I wanted to upload last night: I think it made more sense pre-flight but the sentiment's still valid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21zzs1O5WkI

Kiss me goodbye, I'm defying gravity...

My room is far too hot and sticky, my hair is ruffled from countless sweeps of my stressed hands running through it and Dad is meticulously weighing my suitcase at intervals while I frantically throw out any unnecessary items. Suncream is in, Dante's 'Paradiso' from the Divine Comedy is most definitely out. Mum has resorted to taking a little nap on my bed. Buzzwords: stress and sweat.

Now two hours later, with my case having been packed, unpacked and repacked I'm finally set to go: year abroad here we come. I'm up in about two hours to set off on my journey to Venice where I'll be for 3 months, being an intern at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection. The idea of this blog is to share my travels with whoever cares to have a look. I'll be posting my thoughts and pictures about everything Venice and my experience there: any tips for places to visit, things to see, places to eat would be much appreciated! A regular feature will be ukulele videos of songs old and new. I wanted to post a video which relates to the title but didn't appreciate how horrifically long it takes to upload to YouTube so that will be up in a few days.

So here I go. Ciao for now.