We were up very early this morning as we had to catch the train by 7:30. We had everything already ready to go, and all we had to do was get up, tidy up, and check out.
I wasn't super thrilled about sharing a room with four strange guys, but overall I'm glad I had the experience. I probably won't do it again if I can help it though. We found that it was almost always cheaper for Dusty and I to get a private room than to share with others. Except for Munich--the best rooms were booked at least a year in advance. If you are traveling alone, or with friends, sharing rooms in a dorm or hotel would be a better value. Since Dusty and I were a single unit, it didn't make sense.
Staying close to the train stations if you are going mostly by train is wonderful. You save time and money on transportation. If you are staying longer in a city, it's not as big of deal. But for quick trips or stops it makes the most sense. I was worried it would be noisy, but the trains in Europe are generally very quiet.
We got a simple breakfast in the station and some snacks for the train. Our 7 hour train journey was smooth and easy. The Austrian alps were a sight to see from the window. Lots of high bridges, houses nestled in the slopes, snow capped peaks. As we got into Italy, there were more castles in the hilltops, the country side leveled out, and the fields were growing rows of olives and grapes.
We had a connection in Verona, and then caught the train to "Venezia", Venice in Italiano. We had a lovely time talking to a couple from Australia. They were in very similar circumstances to us and it was fun to make comparisons.
All the trains in Italy require you to have a reservation, which we made beforehand, but all the stations have places to get tickets and make reservations if you are a last minute traveler.
As we got further into Italy, it began to rain. The skies were cloudy and as we crossed the sea to the island of Venice we could hardly see anything. We knew it was going to be tricky to find our hotel in the rain, so we briefly studied up where we needed to go so we wouldn't have to stand awkwardly in the rain. We exited the train, donned our rain slickers, and spread our giant umbrella. We greeted Venice with wet faces and followed the masses in the giant torrent of rain.
Our hotel (Hotel Santa Lucia) was only about three minutes from the station, tucked in a tiny five foot wide side street with a cute courtyard and lobby. We just about missed it, but Dusty somehow saw it as we passed. Again, we were grateful we were staying close to the station. The small elderly woman checking us in spoke just enough English to get us to our room and we thereafter we crashed onto the bed, not quite completely soaked. We rested for about twenty minutes and then fought the urge to stay in our cozy room instead of braving the weather.
Our exploring sides got the better of us, however, and we gathered ourselves up and left the hotel. Amazingly, it had all but stopped raining. We finally could look up and get our first real views of the city. We walked back past the train station and over this bridge to buy our tickets for the Vaporetti.
There are no cars or public transporation other than the Vaporetti in Venice. It's a boat taxi system and quite fun. We bought 24 hour tickets at a whopping 18 euros each. Yikes! We followed good old Rick's advice and caught the faster #2 boat for a ride on the Grand Canal. We worked our way to the side so we could see the views.
And off we went. It was still overcast and drizzling, but just fine for us to enjoy the sights. The next few pictures are of buildings we passed along the way. Notice the fancy boat tie-posts, the varied colors, the shapes of the windows, the decaying facades and wet, ancient feeling of the city.
I know my RS Italy book has the names and functions of many of these buildings, but darn it, I'm just too lazy to look them up. :)
At the end of our Vaporetti ride, clear at the other side of the island, we got off at at St. Mark's Square. We hurried to the St. Mark's Basilica because we only had 45 minutes to see it before it closed at 5:00. (honestly, why do things have to close so early?)
The Basilica was built with Byzantine architecture, and was a refreshing change after seeing so much Gothic, Roccoco, and Classical styles. It was started in 1063 and consecrated in 1094. The facade was changed in the 13th century.
As you first enter, you are stunned by the incredible gold mosaics all over the ceilings. Aren't they gorgeous?
The actual inside of the Basilica is very dark. The marbles and stones are darker than usual and the windows are very small. The floor is literally rolling up and down because the foundation was so poor when it was built. It was interesting to visit. I'm so glad we made it in time.
Here is glimpse of the exterior closer up.
We wanted to see the Doge's Palace, and the Correr Museum, but they closed at 5:30 and we couldn't get in. So instead we started to wander. It is so very easy to get lost here with all the twists and turns and bridges that lead to dead ends. But so fun to explore as well. We were looking for a good place to eat.
We finally found one. It took us quite a few streets and menus to decide. Plus it's hard to try to squeeze down all the tiny lanes when everyone has a large umbrella. It's pretty funny, actually. The restaurant we selected was decent-- I wouldn't say we were blown away, but Dusty's calzone was very good.
After eating, we followed all the little signs to Rialto Bridge. Here's a view off of one side of it.
I didn't buy any glass or a Venetian mask, but here is a look at some of the selections. We did buy a small tapestry of the city of Venice, and Dusty found a beautiful leather bound handwoven journal.
I think Dusty is feeling euphoric from his recent purchase.
A fellow tourist offered to take a photo of us on the bridge-- it's not super wonderful, but it catches us perfectly. Especially my drizzled, frizzy hair. Oh joy.
Here is a look at Rialto Bridge. It's a cool bridge, but I was surprised how much graffiti was all over it. Take some pride in your city, Venice. By the way, did you know that only about 60,000 people live on the actual island? Since over 4 million tourists visit each year, almost everyone you see does not even live there.
We treated ourselves to cannoli.
There were geraniums everywhere! Don't they just look happy?
Guess there's more than one leaning tower in Italy. . . .
I just loved the worn-through look of this house. The colors are so vibrant, even though it's falling apart.
Due to the rain, there weren't many people taking gondola rides. We opted out because it was going to be over 100 bucks and at the end of our trip, we were saving our last pennies for souvenirs.
We had come complete circle and ended up back at St. Mark's square. The campanile was closed, but we listened to a great group of musicians play a tango. I can imagine that in the summer, this square is fantastic. Especially at night.
We walked back out to catch the Vaporetti and take a leisurely ride home. Instead of heading back to home instantly, we choose to ride out to some of the smaller islands. We got onto #1, which is a slower boat, and makes more stops.
This is one of my favorite pictures of Venice we took. I love the moody sky and the color of the water.
We rode the boat out to the islands, and when everyone disembarked, we moved to the back of the boat which isn't covered and picked a good seat. After about ten minutes, the boat turned back to the main island and we enjoyed a little "free" cruise back down the Grand Canal. It was so pleasant and such a good choice that we made. The sun was setting and lights were starting to come on.
When our stop arrived, we got off and took our time walking back to the hotel. We had certainly enjoyed our quick visit to Venice. It is a decaying but timeless place.
What I want to remember about Venice:
arriving in pouring rain colored glass in all the shops painted poles in front of the buildings
the shops filled with beautiful things listening to the gondoliers sing window shopping
walking through puddles holding hands music in St. Mark's Square dodging umbrellas
green water canals lights reflecting on the water helpful signs for tourists everywhere
the sound of zero cars or bikes waking up early Italian commercials
a magnificent vaporetti ride
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