Essay From Yvonne

July 8, 2003 Yvonne sent her latest essay. This letter was written two weeks ago, but due to the lack of Internet cafes since Italy (and email service in Austria) she is only now sending it-- via the Blackberry.

Dear Readers,
When we were in Italy I went to the Doges Palace in Venice. The Doges Palace is where the rulers and dukes of Venice lived. There were many many rooms and courtyards but my favorite was the courtyard that held the Grand Staircase. The Grand Staircase is an enormous staircase made of only marble with two life sized statues of Apollo and Neptune. The features of Apollo and Neptune were so human it made them look real. The staircase then leads to a large colonnade surrounding the palace which makes it look even grander.

My second favorite place in the palace was the staircase with the painting of Saint John the Baptist over it (by Titian). The painting was of Saint John in a rushing stream with a child on his shoulder. Saint John had a stick in his hand and was battling across the stream. His features of his body were so emphasized he looked not human. The painting was the sort of painting that you can sit at and look at and stay there forever.

All in all I loved every room but these two will last in my memory forever. Yvonne Sent via BlackBerry

Last Updated: July 8, 2003

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