Venice your beauty amazes me!

---

Venice!!

After a very early train I arrived at Venice train station extremely excited. Not only was I in Venice, a place of Romance, but I was also able to leave my backpack in Milan which meant I didn't feel like a pack horse and could enjoy it more (another of many lessons in packing lighter). The view of Venice as I stepped into the hot sunshine was breathtaking and blew me away. I was really excited about Venice but I didn't have high expectations as so many people had told me they had not enjoyed it. There was tierred steps down to the canal, a giant white bridge with old fashioned decorative columns over to the left and directly in front is a giant impressive white building with a beautiful green dome. Not to mention the many gondola's also morred on the river to tick all the boxes. The only thing different from a hundred years ago is the masses of tourists! I normally wait to start taking photos until I have dumped my bags at my accomodation but this time it was too perfect a moment to miss. I tried to follow the directions to the hostel, twice, and eventually found my last minute accomodation in a 4 bed dorm. I had been told Venice smelt bad wherever you went but I didn't find this to be true, some places smelt, but mostly I was wrapped up in the beauty of the bridges and canals. Which I had also been told were really dirty, but the water I saw as I crossed the bridges looked fairly clean, greenish blue, certainly not dark brown as I had been told. I was already impressed with the buildings, not so much the people lining the streets trying to sell me everything under the sun. But you get that nearly everywhere in Europe if there are more than a few tourists.

I walked into the hostel at about 11 and met my new roomie, Yuri, from Canada, or he later told me he was originally from Ukraine, so Ukranian/Canadian. After faffing about, we met two other girls Yuri knew from the previous night and headed out to a place that Yuri had been reccomended by his Venice phone app. Fresh pizza slices, delicious! We all walked to San Marco afterwards with the intention of seeing the church but the line was over 100 metres long and mostly in the sun. We decided to do it earlier the next morning. The girls headed off to see some sights and Yuri and I went to check out Gondola prices which turned out to be an exorbatant €120 for 1 hour. Although it had been a dream of mine to ride a gondola, this was far too expensive for such a short time. Neither Yuri or I had any particular places we needed to see so we decided to be happy wanderers and take the paths where the wind blew. We found lots of water fountains (similar to Rome) but also a lot of piazza's also had old fashioned unused wells in the centre of the common areas. Some were left to ruin but others had been filled and had flowers growing from them. It was interesting to see the non tourist areas where we assumed the locals lived as it was much quieter and there was no shops.

We found a cute nook that boardered on a canal and watched the locals navigate the very tight corners in their boats of differing sizes. Yuri and I sat on the edge of the path and dipped our toes in the water to chill for a while. It was much cleaner than I had expected, Yuri said sometimes it smelled but mostly it was ok. Really there are so many dogs of all sizes from rat to small horse that the pee from them (and drunken people at night) is the biggest problem. Basically I fell in love with the bridges and beautiful canals, over and over again. There were beautiful flower boxes just out of the windows that were probably the most well looked after parts of Venice, the other buildings were in a slow and steady state of decline. Hopefully they restore the buildings before they die completely but at the moment it adds to the romance. Yuri and I wished we could have stepped back in time to see it in its glory without a bucket load of tourists, but really the buildings haven't changed much, there was only one area where we saw a modern looking building and it was fairly ugly compared to its surrounds.

We found a jetty when we happened across the edge of the island and it wasn't locked so we walked out to see the view and take photos. We continued randomly choosing paths and saw churches, churches and more churches. My attempts at humour were met with strange looks and Yuri pretended to laugh when I made daggy dad jokes (after I told him it was a joke and it was time to laugh), a further few puntastic moments and we ended up at Rialto bridge for the token tourist photos. The view is truely spectacular so it's no wonder it is so famous. More tiny alleyways, a lost gelato shop (we never did find it) instead we found a beautiful green piazza where kids were playing soccer and Yuri informed me I have not left my job as I couldn't help but cheer them on. My favourite spot was a stunning roof top garden absolutely covered in bouganvillia and green, lively growing garden flowers and vines.

We were undecided as to what to do next as we were hungry but it was too early for dinner...Yuri's phone app led us to a place that was open in another hour so we found a quiet bar which looked quaint and interesting. We ordered wine and sat in vintage chairs, surrounded by memoribillia from the 30's to 60's. In the background was latin music and young Italians conversing in their beutiful language so I was completely in my element. Oh and did I mention the bar also did the most delicious cheese and proschuito on toast to compliment our wine? We spent the next couple of hours talking of anything and everything, people watching, perused the lonely planet guide while comparing adventures and I remember being promised a lesson in backgamman which was also nearby. However chatting and wine won that round so Yuri you still owe me one! ;-) Yuri is definately a kindred spirit and and amazing friend, I felt so lucky to be sharing Venice with someone who I got on so well with and eventually he got my humour, haha. Full tummies from too many snacks left us looking for another place to vegetate. Luckily there was an outdoor cinema playing movies in English. Score. Plus it was a period film and I love those, but strangely enough this one was rather risque as it was about the invention of the first vibrator....hilarious. It was not wonderful movie, a little predictable, but the wine we bought locally and shared during the film was much better. We walked back to San Marco bridge to see the view at night and were rewarded with clear skies and pretty lights. Our host at the backpacker gave us shots when we eventually returned...arg, too much!

Next day we walked a different way to San Marco to investigate other parts of Venice, we saw so many canals, all beautiful, all different. I am trying not to go overboard....but I really loved Venice. Moreso because I wasn't expecting to enjoy it as much as I did. I have always loved arched bridges and insisted on having them in the garden ever since we moved to the farm. There is something romantic about arched bridges made of stone or wood. We also found a fresh fruit boat along one canal and Yuri introduced me to figs! I had never had one before but enjoyed my first experience. By now I had a couple of hundred photos....mostly of the bridges and canals...but I was missing a photo of a door which had sunk into the canal. Yuri was a great guide and promised me he would find me one, which he did. He even went so far as to find one with an arched bridge and someone playing delightful piano music from the floor above! Could Venice be more romantic?!

So yet again we were lost. Haha I upped the anti and found.....wait for it....a drag queen shop. No kidding. In the middle of a piazza, it was quite the most entertaining shop either of us had come across in Venice. There were corsets, shoes, avant garde costumes, strange things that can't and shouldn't be named on this blog. Definately a fav find in our explorations. Next stop was the boat terminal to zip over to Murano Island where they make glass. Zipping took quite a lot longer than we had anticipated...but I paid for my glass demonstration, bought some earrings, found a ridiculous statue and then we were off for another boat to the lace island who's name escapes me. It was my favourite island, all the houses were painted in complimentary pastel colours and were maintained to a much higher standard than those on the main island of Venice. We found a leaning church and then it was another far too slow boat trip to get back to Venice help Yuri grab his bags so he could run for his train! Luckily he made it with time to help other backpackers find our hostel! I spent the afternoon getting sunset photos at the Rialto bridge and enjoyed a quiet night of dinner with the other girls in my room.

Next day I was all alone as both Yuri and the NZ girls had left so I checked out just in time and ended up walking town with my bags...thankful yet again I only had a backpack and a handbag. I finally took the time to line up in the heat to get into the huge and very famous church, got annoyed at being asked for more and more money when I wanted to see the balcony, tomb and other areas of the church. I spent some time in funky art museums and gardens, had lunch in a piazza garden while updating my blog, had my last Italian gelato, peach and yoghurt...yum, bought postcards and then caught my train home to Milan. Which was very very long as our train was delayed by a number of hours. Luckily the lady next to me was able to explain as my Italian was not good enough to understand the loud speaker message. She turned out to be a great conversationalist who had worked as a travel guide in both Australia and all over Italy. We shared stories and had a good goasip about travelling until the train finally got to Milan. I repacked my bag for my early fligh to Athens in the morning and then slept. Stupidly I turned off my reminded to get my phone charger from reception, woke late, was in a made panic to catch the airport bus which was a 15min walk away...I hate my 20kg backpack for long walks. Finally got on the bus and then remembered my digital slr camera charger was still in the reception in Milan....noooooo! Never again will I turn off very important reminders! A quick phone call to the hostel and they assured me they could send it to Athens (at cost to me...which turned out to be nearly €40.....serves me right) and I could pick it up when I returned from 16 days in the Islands. Then more issues with easyjet....no you can't have a handbag, backpack and camera bag as check in....it must be just ONE bag! They tell me I have to check the other two pieces of luggage...at 30€ each. I went to the newsagent, bought a huge plastic travel bag for €20 shoved all 3 items back in the ONE bag....went through fine....luggage was exactly the same...but now followed their one bag rule....ridiculous. The joys of travel!

Goodbye Italy I have loved every moment! Xo I will be back someday to eat again on your delicious shores!

---