While walking across the last bridge we inevitably got propositioned by the Vu Cumpra and their handbag bargains while looking the bridge over, but left behind their calls to negotiate a good price quite quickly as we moved on. We now entered a fairly quiet residential neighbourhood that provided one of the most picturesque settings for our next bridge, the Ponte della Malvasia Vecchia. It's the second 'Malvasia' bridge we crossed today, so we assumed there was once a winery or wine shop in the area.
The bridge was rebuilt in cast iron in the nineteenth century, when many bridges received a makeover, and has particularly artistic hand-railings with leaf and flower patterns around lion's head emblems. The red bricks in the wall, Victorian street lamp and Byzantine window frames provided a perfect backdrop for this small, pretty bridge.
Also, in the photo you'll see a banner announcing yet another art exhibition hanging from a wall adjacent to the bridge. I really believe one can spend an entire year in Venice going to a different arts venue every day and not see the same exhibition twice, that's how many are there. They're advertised everywhere - on banners like this, on bridges, rubbish bins, vaporetto stations, any space that can hold a poster or placard. Of course they all charge an entry fee, but they're a staple and popular rendezvous for most tourists, especially events featuring world-renowned artists.
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