[Кирилл Сызранский]

This topic reminded me of a story my friend (also moonlight tours, but the whole of Europe) published in the "Continent" in 2005 year.
Sorry for the great quote, but in the context of the theme will be fun to read.

Here's the church of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari. One from the heart of Venice. Now here we go from here, on this side we go to church as a church, my friends, but not with the one where the entrance to the church as a museum. Because with that you have to pay, even stop, even falling. But this is not necessary. Now you will see in the doorway of the altar barrier, just as it should have seen his contemporaries, went into the temple, a painting by Titian "Assunta" - Assumption of the Virgin. It is a feast for the Catholics, which we do not, because ... but it is not important. It is important to Father Sergius Bulgakov, but for us there.

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We are with you now, it's important that when a young Titian painted this picture, all Venice was celebrating this day, all the Serenissima was here, in the Frari, where we are now, for the consecration this icon. Because this canvas a seven-meter height - this is for us a picture, but for them - this altar icon, and it was the Venetian response to the challenge of Rome. In those years, Raphael, a man we all want to see the embodiment of his "Manera grandee" (I told you on the bus on the way to tell what it is - a great style, but now only I will note - this is what we have with you and no trace), leading, whatever may be said about its rich and free way of life, not an idle life, he wrote the greatest icon of Rome - "The Transfiguration", which many believe is beginning to what later became known as Mannerism Baroque and even then as, in essence, was just the opposite of that and another - the triumph of this classic. Otherwise will have to take man'eristov and Poussin. Here, in fact, the school gesture classical theater. Kingdom of speculation, three cold as ice, a reasonable level of ascent. Three different lighting, three light, three spaces in one. For what is the Transfiguration, as we envision it, the Orthodox, since St. Gregory Palamas, the 14-th century - and how to represent themselves Catholics? .. Let me not to answer the same question to me, ladies and gentlemen, we zavedet far away, briefly, so as not to tire, it is important that the young Titian pererubaet the Gordian knot of Roman rational, from the shoulder - firmly connecting all three spatial zones in a single sky-earth, permeated by zemno-light of heaven, vozdymaya propeller, propeller movement of the Virgin Mary in the sky and forcing the viewer to reach the heavens and the earth unified look and feel all imaginable and unimaginable at once - as a single blow to a sense of how the cycle of evaporating vozduhosvetotsveta, to draw any simpleton or slozhnetsa in energy rising-falling streams. Simply put, to raise ourselves to the sky, while leaving his feet stand firmly on the ground. But if it's too hard, my friends, if you like for me, too by Venetian: in heaven and on earth, all to get from anything without giving up - then it does not matter, but it is important , my friends, that we are being asked to leave the church, because we order them podnadoeli, they have realized that we did not come to pray, but we can safely enter the church on the left as a museum to see is how to close and Assunta "and other great painting by Titian - Madonna family of Pesaro, and Titian's own tomb, and a wonderful triptych by Giovanni Bellini, which at its bird dialect in the city of pigeons Venetians call Dzhambellino and better Dzhambellino if anyone paint, then clean it contemplation (I'll explain later about contemplation, because any contemplation of a Winnie the Pooh and the other an owl, one from Gregory Palamas and the other at the Blind Sheikh, although Gregory Solomonovich Pomerantz and thinks about sufiyah that the contemplation of them as there is, where and Symeon the New Theologian, while Winnie the Pooh with the owl is unlikely to be synthesized) by means of such pure colors are not seen by anyone ... and this is just 3000 pounds. Three brands. What do you mean - when an already glanced? Oh, on the ball. Who else thinks so? Most? What do you say? In a sign of consent? On the ball - so on the ball. No, we can not go ten together, to the forty remaining in the meantime had dispersed and lost. Who lost in Venice, that even I did not gather. Forward and with the song. Since then they have not heard his native land: "Lindau, Passau, Dachau, my. In the window? Merlot de Veneto? This grape is used more often in combination with cabernet sauvignon. As in Bordeaux. In the Bordeaux wine goes to the same and some bit of Cabernet Franc. Separately - merlot is fruity tones. Specifically - plum. Slightly over-ripe, vine merlot offers the tone of bitter chocolate. Merlot de Veneto, as well as Merlot di Friuli, in my opinion, watery. Northern Italian wines in general, to my taste, watery. No, it happens, and the simple Valpolicella gaining 14 degrees, but this is not a simple Valpolicella, and the special, such as Amara della Valpolicella - and costs 25 marks the bottle, almost as famous Piedmontese Barolo and Barbaresco. But common usage, dining northern wine, in my opinion, watery. But - have the glory of the lungs. Allegedly not heavy, but fun. Supposedly - this is Italy. Rejoice, and not heavy. And I say - how much is a drink, my friends. How much to drink. Merlot, Merlot all over the earth. Yes sobered up. (c)