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Published: September 18th 2008
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Venice at the Rialto - September 17
(Geoff) What a day! We had decided that rather than pay US $15 each for a hotel transfer from the ship (and then they don't go to all hotels, only the more recognised ones), we would make our own way to the place we were staying. We had a map of the city with us and headed off the ship to collect our bags and head into town. The collection of the bags was no big problem but the interesting stuff started once we exited the terminal to find transport.
We were going to the transport hub to get a water bus (like our city buses but here everything is moved via the canal systems, either by bus, taxi or Gondola). However there were no taxis and when we asked one of the Holland America people, she told us there was no shuttle bus happening today. However, the hub was just about 10 minutes on foot. Just go across the carpark, up the hill, turn right, head to what looks like a bus station, turn left and the water bus station is next door. Sounds easy, right? Well Sue and I must
have been shopping because the bags felt like they weighed a tonne - between us we have two big bags, one small bag for our electronic stuff, a backpack and we are also carrying a dillybag. We arrived at the station (miracle!!) and then had to work out how to get a ticket. I stood in line for a few minutes until Sue handed me a queueing ticket so I pulled out of the line and waited my turn.
Finally we had tickets, worked out which bus to catch and boarded along with about 100 others. As we headed down the Grand Canal, more and more people boarded as we stopped at pontoons along the way. We were on the starboard side, which I thought would be the side we would disembark but no, it was to be the port side. So we struggled with our bags, through the crowded bus and finally got off at the Rialto Bridge, our destination. Then we needed to find our hotel. We oriented ourselves and started towards the block where our hotel was. The map makes it look quite spread out but all the streets here are narrow and distances are not as great as they look. We got to the square after clambering up some steps that we later found out we didn't need to climb and finally I gave up and asked directions. What a dill - if we had only walked 10 metres further, we would have seen the sign!
We found the place (really just 70 metres off the Grand Canal), pressed the buzzer and the door was opened. My jaw dropped as I looked at 10 stairs heading steeply into the building. I girded my loins ( what I really needed was a weightlifters belt) hefted the heaviest case and headed up the stairs. Sue followed me with the smaller cases. I returned for the second big case and finally all our luggage was upstairs. The people here are great and we checked in and went to find a laundry.
Venice is amazing. The young lady at the desk described it as a labyrinth and she is right! Little alleyways and lanes lead you in all sorts of directions, sometimes getting stopped by a canal with gondolas floating by and water taxis rumbling along. I felt very proud of myself when we negotiated the maze and came upon the self service laundry.
We then tried to work out what the hell the instructions meant but with some help from some Aussies who had dealt with this before, we soon had the washing under control. It just took Euros and patience before we finished.
We went back thinking we might explore before lunch but rested on the bed and succumbed to a nanna nap before we knew it.
Feeling refreshed, we went for a walk to find some lunch. As we walked around we came upon a music centre called “Scuola Grande Di San Teodore” that was having a Vivaldi concert tonight so we booked tickets and then continued on our way. We filled in our day doing the rubber necking tourist thing and stopped at a little trattoria for a drink, after checking that there was no cover/sitting charge (as a charge is levied if you use their tables and chairs in a lot of places in Venice - we got charged 2.50 Euros each for dinner as well as the cost of the meal). We came back to get ourselves ready for the concert and lined up outside and were duly ushered in for the 8:30 p.m. start.
The concert started with 6 female musicians playing 2 violins, 1 viola, 1 cello, 1 Bass and a harpsichord - the music was fabulous. Then they were joined by a male lead violinist to play Vivaldi's “four seasons”. He added a new dimension with his enthusiasm and virtuosity - it went from fabulous to rapturous - what a stunning night of music! Sue liked it so much she bought the CD that was on sale in the foyer.
We finished the night by wandering the streets, still full of people, to have a look at the fewer shops that were still open at 10:00 at night. Imagine our surprise when Sue spotted the couple from the ship (Chris and Polly), that we had missed farewelling at breakfast, sitting in a cafe next to the Rialto Bridge!! We shared a couple of drinks and some chinwagging before exchanging contact details and parting for the night. In all, a busy but satisfying day.
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Tim
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Phew!
Crikey Geoff... I am exhausted just after reading that! Is fabulosu to keep up with your escapades though :)