Venice

---

Travel date: May 2008


The land indescribable in words and photographs - literally. You can get a feel of Venice only once you’re IN Venice !!! we got off the lazy airport waited for the bus which was an astonishing 15 mins late (the only time something was ever late in Europe). Dumped bags & headed off to the streets of Venice…. grabbed the 1st pizza we could lay our hands on (YUMM- who says authentic italian pizzas are bland???!!!) Most lanes leading to st mark’s square had lovely small souvenir shops selling magnets & masks. We hogged on ice creams, ice creams and more ice creams !

Italians are gruff!! Although im sure they don’t mean to be, but they did bring out the worst of apprehension from us. Then of course, the many hundred tourists around me made me realise why venicians hate tourists. Small tiny tot of a land and a thousand people walking around admiring it. Jeeez.

We skipped the Burano & Murano islands (known for lace & glass) but simply loved lazing around on the benches near the st mark’s square overlooking the sea.

We did attend the 6.45 mass at st marks basilica … with the choir sending chills down our spines.

A little rain cooled down the place… (ok for me it was COLD) and the nice walk back took more than 2 hours … ---- the city looked enigmatic with dimly lit lamps in the endless criss cross of lanes and by lanes amidst quiet waters. Yes! We did get lost- with no reference to keep in mind - no building names, no windows open (is that why theyre so gruff!), with guess work failing miserably… did manage with sign language and some gruff but warm (solid combination!) Italians guiding us !

Observations ~

~ Charge of 1euro per head - if you wanna sit in a restaurant to have a meal !

~ I wanted the yummy spicy pizza I ordered to be even more spicier - so as I’m used to doing in Bombay, sprinkled a pretty good layer… to my aghast- it was about 50 times hotter than the stds of pizza hut here !!! poor me - had to scrape off to finish my plate !

---