Venice

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We left Riomaggiore at 7:30 in the morning, took a train to La Spezia, another to Pisa, another to Florence and then one more to Venice and arrived there at 3:00pm. Doc thinks that he must have been tired when he arrived because he can’t remember his first impression. As an observer, he looked a bit gobsmacked as he walked out onto the piazza in front of the station and saw the canal and vaporetti right there in front of him. A vaporetto is a water bus. We took an express vaporetto which took us along the famous Grand Canal to the Rialto Bridge. This is also very famous. The bridge is formed by steps forming the arch of the bridge to cross the canal and allow space for boats to go under it. The Rialto Bridge also has shops on it. Getting up and down those steps and the steps on the bridges all over Venice make it hard work when you have to carry or wheel your luggage as well. Our Hotel was quite small and located near Marcato, the food market area of Venice. Our room was small but adequate. Very different to our big apartment in Lucca.

Venice is a city built on canals and its cool. There are many little alley ways that weave around the city, some crossing over the canals on little bridges with steps up and down to make them high enough for gondolas and other boats to pass under. Some alley ways just end at a canal. I had to be careful not to run around a corner and keep running or I might have ended up in a canal. The boats and canals are not just used by tourists. There are boats used for carrying work materials just like a truck and others that are like busses and taxis carrying people who live and work in Venice as well as tourists. In some places along the Grand Canal where there is not a bridge, people use a large gondola to go from one side to another - and they stand up in them. They have to pay extra to sit down if they are worried about rocking the boat and falling in the water.

We went to St Marks Square in the morning and it was covered in water. There were paths made from raised platforms so that people could cross the square without getting wet. Other people just took their shoes and socks off. All this water was because of the rising tide. In the afternoon when the tide was out, the square was dry. We went back at night and listened to the musicians play at the outdoor restaurants. There was a happy atmosphere there at night. When we saw these restaurants earlier in the day, the waiters were all wearing gumboots as they had to walk through the water to get to the tables.

We loved getting away from the main tourist areas because then we were able to explore more. We just walked without a map, followed the signs, got lost, found our way and got lost again. Mum loved turning up alley ways and finding yet another piazza. I really liked one of them because there were some kids playing soccer. Bad luck - we were running out of time and had to catch our vaporetto to meet the water bus to take us to the airport. I loved that ride. We came out of the canals and across the lagoon in a bit of rough water to get there.

We listened to musician playing in the streets and the narrow streets gave them a great sound.
We have seen some unusual paintings and statues and there was a strange one in Venice.

Dad and mum’s friends Kerry and Angelo were also in Venice at the same time as us but we had not been able to arrange a meeting place before our trip. As our vaporetto was coming to a stop, Angelo and Kerry saw us. They were on the same boat. Angelo gave dad a fright by coming up behind him and asking dad to show him his ticket. Everybody was pleased to see each other even though it was only for about 20 minutes.

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Photos

A Bizarre Painting
This was in San Giacomo's Church Venice