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Sonia, from our B & B (Gli Angeli - The Angels) emailed us in Bellagio that her Mother was in the hospital. She was wondering what time we would arrive in Venice. We emailed back we hoped by 7PM. We could only imagine the stress she was experiencing and did not want to be late. We got up early, had a nice breakfast at Hotel Fiorini, got on an early ferry and it wasn't long before we were in Mestre - sort of gateway city to the Islands of Venice. Buff was going to get his train ride. Short and sweet, but still a train ride... we just had to park the car. We found a small private place with the nicest older gentleman in charge. He spoke no English, but managed to let us know it would be five Euros per day - we are going to be back in three days. He also sold us the train tickets to and from Venice, and walked us across the street and showed us the train to board. I think he was an angel in disguise. While Buff was a little skeptical, I trusted him instantly. We even left our 'booty bag'
Chandelier and Angel Mural
Angels watched over our sleep.- souvenirs and gifts for family & friends, and a bag of dirty laundry in the trusty Micro. We had to leave the keys with him too.
Like I said, short, but sweet, ride to Venice. We arrive at Ferrovia Train Station and prepare to board the Vaporreto (Water Bus). We buy three-day passes - another good decision for us. It's like the Metro, but on water. We could go anywhere we wanted, even to the outlying islands for the days we would be in Venice. Our stop is Arsenale, near the real Venice Arsenale from way back. It's still a small active military presence. Sonia had told us which Vaporreti line to take and once we got off at our stop, we only had one small canal (read as bridge) to cross and short walk to our home away from home for the next three days. Actually we were early! We loved our suite Sonia had upgraded us to, as no one had reserved it. The address is San Marco officially, but it's very near the Garibaldi area of Venice where lots of local people live and work. She oriented us to the Garibaldi, and we took off
for a vegetarian pasta place she recommends. The food was excellent and perfect for me! The Garibaldi is nice because it's got a very wide (like a road - but NO cars driving anywhere) walkway and people stroll in the evenings and visit. Families with children, babies in strollers, elderly ladies, men, couples, just everybody, shopping at the COOP, or other stores, eating outside at the restaurants, and our personal favorite on the way home - stopping at the Penguin Gelateria for gelato!!!!!!!!!!!! We visited the Garibaldi mornings and evenings. I dropped the camera the first evening there and broke the lens cover mechanism. Buff fixed it with medical tape we bought at the COOP the next AM. We mailed a post card from the post office there, used the ATM, and bought some wonderful fruit-print oil cloth for the cabin at the hardware store. Nearly every evening we shopped at the Coop for yogurt, fruit and milk. I even bought one of their reusable grocery bags. Truly I am a bag lady : )
Here are the things we did in Venice: went out to Murano Island - it's like a miniature version of Venice with canals, bridges,
Venetian Sunset
First picture taken with the broken camera. even it's own Grande Canale. We ate lunch at a trattoria, visited lots of the famous Venetian glassware shops, saw a demonstration of glass blowing and twisting, then visited their showroom. They had art glass that I'm sure sold for thousands, if not tens of thousands of Euros! All trademark designs, no pictures allowed. Back to Venice, and self-toured the Grand Canal on Line 1 Vaporreto, as we read the Fodor's tour notes. Tried to take pictures, not real successful as it was getting into rush hour. Ended up at St. Mark's Piazza after a brief rest in a pretty little garden that was 'laid out' by Napoleon. "The glories of San Marco" Fodor's says and it's true: the Doge's palace looks like something out of a fairy-tale and the Basilica with the Campanile opposite it, the astrological clock on the clocktower, music from a small group of stringed instruments , and people everywhere. The Piazza runs right down to the water of St Mark's Basin and across you can see San Giorgio Maggiore and it's Campanile. Everywhere you look is a feast for your eyes, and yet quiet, relaxing and romantic. We eat in this night after strolling the
My second obsession
Laundry drying outside - Garibaldi side street. streets behind St. Mark's, buying a few things, including a lace bookmark, shopping at COOP, and having gelato. Is that getting monotonous? We are down to our last few chances to have it! We plan what we will do tomorrow.
Tomorrow is here. The entire morning is devoted to the Naval History Museum. Five floors filled with very interesting instruments, implements and models of all sorts of Venice Naval History. It was Buff's favorite thing we did in Venice. We lunch at the vegetarian pasta shop, then on to visit St. Mark's Basilica. What an awesome church. I especially loved the mosaics in the five domes and the loggia (balcony) that you get to by climbing a steep narrow stairway. It's worth the few Euros to walk around and see the upper level of the church - bird's eye view of the mosaics and frescoes below, one was a last supper. Two other outstanding things about the balcony were the bronze horses looted from Constantinople in 1204. They are the only four-horse chariot group surviving from antiquity. The ones outside are copies; and then you can go out onto a terrace where you look out over the entire square!
Lighthouse and Murano Island
Buff & I stood up in the very front of the Vaporreto for the 30-minute ride to Murano Island. This is the island where Venetian glass originates. After that we took Vaporreto across St. Mark's Basin to San Giorgio Maggiore, an awesome Palladian church. The floors were amazing tile mosaics. Rode the lift up to the top of the Campanile. You can imagine the views as you look back toward Venice.
We are running out of time, where did three weeks go? We have tomorrow to head back to Rome for our last night in Italy, but that means there is still one more night for... you guessed it! What flavor in my cuppola shall I have? I'm saving the cute little spoons, so no cone. Yogurt and vaniglia were two of my favorite flavors. Sounds good.
Sonia's become a good friend. Her Mom has improved and is in a rehabilitation facility. Sonia explains to us how, if she had a car, it would take five minutes to get there to visit her. Because it's Venice, it takes 45 minutes, but she doesn't care. She'll 'keep' her Venice with no cars. We agree. Our last day we visit the famous Rialto Bridge and Market. The market is so beautiful. If we lived here, I would want to shop there every day for fresh fruits and
vegetables. We had wanted to take a gondola ride, but when we find out the price - 140 Euros for the shortest route, no way! When we said 'No thanks', another gondolier approached us to do it for 80, but that is still $108 U.S. dollars. The Welsh in me just could not see it! We took the Vaporreto back to the B & B, got our luggage and took the Vaporreto Line 14 one last time to Ferrovia Station for the train ride back to Mestre. Uneventful ride, and all of our 'booty' and dirty laundry was still in the Micro. Oh joy!
Off we head to Rome. Had no idea we would be driving through the Apennine Mountains in Eastern Italy. They are really some mountains, long tunnels, bridges, long tunnels, then repeat. Very scenic drive and of course we get to drive through Tuscany and Umbria again. Even made a quick stop in Orvieto to look for some Pinocchio clips we had not been able to find in Venice. Pinocchio is really big all over Italy, but it seemed especially so in Tuscany and Umbria regions.
Arrived at the Mach II Hotel near Rome Airport
Demonstration of blowing glass
Camera or operator (me) had problems with focus? Heat was intense. thanks to a Gas Station attendant who was very proud of his English, and we were happy for him! The hotel had a restaurant and Buff finally gets to have a bistecca (steak). He has beeen wanting one since we got here, thanks to Lydia - she has an Italian cooking show on PBS. Buff's was good, but probably not as good as Lydia would have done.
No problem turning in the car, remembered perfectly how to get there. But getting to Terminal Five for United flight was one last navigational snafu. Thank heaven we do not have meltdowns like we witnessed on the sidewalk outside of Terminal Four or wherever we were waiting for a shuttle to bus us to check-in, to bus us to the gate, to bus us to the plane on the tarmac. Deja Vu Frankfurt! Great news, we are flying business class all the way to Dulles. Yeah upgrade! Arrivederci Italy! Noi amo!
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Michelle
non-member comment
Great Stories and Pictures
Really enjoyed reading all about your trip. I really felt like I was traveling with the two of you. It definitely brought back great memories of when Marti and I went to Italy...it really is an amazing place with very friendly sweet people. The only thing you didn't mention was shopping for leather goods at the outdoor market in Florence....of course shopping is always at the top of my to do list! Thanks again for sharing and I'm looking forward to hearing more about the trip in person soon.