Our excitement mounted as the train made its way across the long bridge and into Venice. The skies were blue, the water greenish (maybe best not to look too closely) and it was fantastic to feel the warmth in the air again.
Armed with a weekly ACTV pass, we squeezed into a vaporetti along with the tourist hoards. Our apartment was in San Silvestro, which turned out to be a fantastic location just a few minutes' walk to the Rialto Bridge.
Romance was in the air, as Naomi led me carefully over the bridge on one of our many walks through the city.
The Rialto was a great place to watch the rivers of tourists go by, and to admire the sweeping views of the Grand Canal.
It was fascinating to see the waterways change from minute to minute - calm and peaceful, with only a gondola or two gliding along... and then suddenly cluttered with water buses and other motorboats that would thunder by. The calm always returned, but then again after a brief reprieve, so did the Italian mayhem.
(above, a quieter moment on the Canal)
Each time we walked by the Rialto Bridge, we saw couples relaxing in a little nook by the stairway. There is a small area with steps leading to the water, and the obligatory (in Italy, at least) shrine to a local Saint.
With patience and careful planning, we eventually managed to be one of the happy couples romantically entwined at this gorgeous spot. We were on our way to dinner, and stopped to watch the sun setting over the evening bustle on the Grand Canal.
Several times during our travels, time has been spent trying to fill perceived gaps in our already bulging backpacks. Naomi is good at responding to these urgent needs, this time it was cardigans. Our search led us to the department store Coin.
Here we see her gathering a collection to try on... and I joined this fellow to wait in the Patient Husband zone. It was amusing to watch him squeeze his generous proportions into the ornate pink chair.
We visited many museums and galleries, all of which have strict rules against photography. A highlight for both of us was the Opera House, Teatro La Fenice. Without a doubt one of the most beautiful buildings we were yet to see, it was with some difficulty that Naomi dragged me out of there. The theatre has recently been restored to its original splendour after a fire in 1996. A must-see if you find yourself in the area!
Venice was hot. Well into the mid-30's, with maddening crowds around all of the tourist spots. The walking and sightseeing became a bit much for Naomi and she sat it out in the courtyard of the Palazzo Ducale while I scurried through the vast interior.
Another stunning location, most memorable were the rooms of world maps, more remarkable frescoes, and the enormous (formerly the world's largest) oil painting by Tintoretto.
I had fun poking my head out of every balcony, to try to spot Naomi resting in the shade.
You can just make her out in the bottom right corner of the photo above... a crop is pasted below as well :)
Looking out of the windows facing East, there was a nice view over the rooftops from the upper levels of the Palace. Usually, the Venice skyline is usually glimpsed from below, where you do not see the efforts to which the locals go in their attempt to build ever higher tv antennas.
The days were long and hot, and we enjoyed coming home to freshen up afterwards. Our little apartment did not appreciate the extra demands on the water system, and we had to call for help with the shower.
The landlady sent what may have been her son, who called a man who may have been a plumber. We don't really know... they stood in our kitchen talking loudly and gesticulating, occasionally turning on the kitchen tap for effect. We watched them for at least half an hour as the conversation grew in volume and in proportion to the sweat pouring from the plumber. After a few more rounds of turning kitchen taps on and off, he replaced our shower head and disappeared. Italy in a nutshell.
The rides on the Vaporettos were slow and very crowded. We found that the best thing to do was to find a spot near the railing, and turn your back on all of the pushing and shoving.
Naomi developed a good technique, but we still did our best to avoid the waterbuses and walked as much as possible.
On one of these walks, I spotted a cat lounging in a window alcove. Unable to resist the opportunity to make friends, I approached gently and we got to know each other.
He was very friendly... and while we traded sleepy affections, I noticed his nametag.
It was Paco! No longer a lovable meatball, Paco is now living as a cat in the quiet neighbourhood of Santa Sofia, Venice.
I was very happy to see him, and when we reluctantly parted ways it was with a smile and a purr.
Naomi and I found that it was surprisingly easy to escape the mad rush in Venice. Often, only one street would separate a river of tourists from deserted tranquility.
The following picture was taken during our walk back from Cannaregio.
We had hunted down a restaurant where we enjoyed some delicious seafood pasta. The only other patrons were a handful of Gondola men, in their distinctive stripy t-shirts and golden suntans.
The gondola men are skilled operators, both on and off the water. At €80 for 40 minutes, the prices of gondola rides kept us watching from the sidelines.
We were able to have a taste though - thanks to the Traghetto service. Very reasonably priced at 50 cents, a rather bored looking Gondola man ferries you across the canal. This is a great addition to the transport options in Venice, particularly when considering the cost of real gondola rides and also the vaporetto and water taxis.
For us, the traghetto was fun.
You may wonder how these dashing young Italian men become so adept on the water. On one of our walks, we think we found the answer.
- From this:
- To this:
What happens in between is still a mystery.
On the streets of Cannaregio there was an eerie calm, but looking down showed that it had not always been so. In the Campo di Ghetto Nuovo, the presence of a discarded miniature battle-axe suggested a darker and more turbulent history. Or maybe it was simply a child's toy.
Walking along the Fondamenta Nuove gave us some respite from the heat, as there was nothing between us and the breeze coming from the North. We brought a picnic along, and sat near the hospital jetty watching boats come and go to Murano and San Michele.
We also spent time in the Gardini Publici, where magnolia trees were in full bloom.
Nearby was the site of the Venice Biennale - a bizarre overgrown ghost town at the moment, it was hard to imagine how the area would be when the festival is in full swing.
So, that was our time in Venice. We had a fantastic week, long days walking the streets all hot and sweaty, followed by long nights in a hot and sweaty apartment.
It is a truly unique city and in our time there we had many memorable moments. The final image tells a fun story. We had time to spare before our train departed, so we settled down beneath a flowery tree to rest away from the crowds. Soon after, a homeless man turned up and sat nearby. Then another. Then another...
We had stumbled onto a little mobile food kitchen run by local volunteers. The men being served were very friendly with us, and quite interested in our story. The most vocal was a partly drunk former Russian, who kept enquiring whether we were from Russia as well, looking disappointed each time we gave him our answer.
They were a happy bunch and it was a colourful close to our time in Italy.
Armed with a weekly ACTV pass, we squeezed into a vaporetti along with the tourist hoards. Our apartment was in San Silvestro, which turned out to be a fantastic location just a few minutes' walk to the Rialto Bridge.
Romance was in the air, as Naomi led me carefully over the bridge on one of our many walks through the city.
The Rialto was a great place to watch the rivers of tourists go by, and to admire the sweeping views of the Grand Canal.
It was fascinating to see the waterways change from minute to minute - calm and peaceful, with only a gondola or two gliding along... and then suddenly cluttered with water buses and other motorboats that would thunder by. The calm always returned, but then again after a brief reprieve, so did the Italian mayhem.
(above, a quieter moment on the Canal)
Each time we walked by the Rialto Bridge, we saw couples relaxing in a little nook by the stairway. There is a small area with steps leading to the water, and the obligatory (in Italy, at least) shrine to a local Saint.
With patience and careful planning, we eventually managed to be one of the happy couples romantically entwined at this gorgeous spot. We were on our way to dinner, and stopped to watch the sun setting over the evening bustle on the Grand Canal.
Several times during our travels, time has been spent trying to fill perceived gaps in our already bulging backpacks. Naomi is good at responding to these urgent needs, this time it was cardigans. Our search led us to the department store Coin.
Here we see her gathering a collection to try on... and I joined this fellow to wait in the Patient Husband zone. It was amusing to watch him squeeze his generous proportions into the ornate pink chair.
We visited many museums and galleries, all of which have strict rules against photography. A highlight for both of us was the Opera House, Teatro La Fenice. Without a doubt one of the most beautiful buildings we were yet to see, it was with some difficulty that Naomi dragged me out of there. The theatre has recently been restored to its original splendour after a fire in 1996. A must-see if you find yourself in the area!
Venice was hot. Well into the mid-30's, with maddening crowds around all of the tourist spots. The walking and sightseeing became a bit much for Naomi and she sat it out in the courtyard of the Palazzo Ducale while I scurried through the vast interior.
Another stunning location, most memorable were the rooms of world maps, more remarkable frescoes, and the enormous (formerly the world's largest) oil painting by Tintoretto.
I had fun poking my head out of every balcony, to try to spot Naomi resting in the shade.
You can just make her out in the bottom right corner of the photo above... a crop is pasted below as well :)
Looking out of the windows facing East, there was a nice view over the rooftops from the upper levels of the Palace. Usually, the Venice skyline is usually glimpsed from below, where you do not see the efforts to which the locals go in their attempt to build ever higher tv antennas.
The days were long and hot, and we enjoyed coming home to freshen up afterwards. Our little apartment did not appreciate the extra demands on the water system, and we had to call for help with the shower.
The landlady sent what may have been her son, who called a man who may have been a plumber. We don't really know... they stood in our kitchen talking loudly and gesticulating, occasionally turning on the kitchen tap for effect. We watched them for at least half an hour as the conversation grew in volume and in proportion to the sweat pouring from the plumber. After a few more rounds of turning kitchen taps on and off, he replaced our shower head and disappeared. Italy in a nutshell.
The rides on the Vaporettos were slow and very crowded. We found that the best thing to do was to find a spot near the railing, and turn your back on all of the pushing and shoving.
Naomi developed a good technique, but we still did our best to avoid the waterbuses and walked as much as possible.
On one of these walks, I spotted a cat lounging in a window alcove. Unable to resist the opportunity to make friends, I approached gently and we got to know each other.
He was very friendly... and while we traded sleepy affections, I noticed his nametag.
It was Paco! No longer a lovable meatball, Paco is now living as a cat in the quiet neighbourhood of Santa Sofia, Venice.
I was very happy to see him, and when we reluctantly parted ways it was with a smile and a purr.
Naomi and I found that it was surprisingly easy to escape the mad rush in Venice. Often, only one street would separate a river of tourists from deserted tranquility.
The following picture was taken during our walk back from Cannaregio.
We had hunted down a restaurant where we enjoyed some delicious seafood pasta. The only other patrons were a handful of Gondola men, in their distinctive stripy t-shirts and golden suntans.
The gondola men are skilled operators, both on and off the water. At €80 for 40 minutes, the prices of gondola rides kept us watching from the sidelines.
We were able to have a taste though - thanks to the Traghetto service. Very reasonably priced at 50 cents, a rather bored looking Gondola man ferries you across the canal. This is a great addition to the transport options in Venice, particularly when considering the cost of real gondola rides and also the vaporetto and water taxis.
For us, the traghetto was fun.
You may wonder how these dashing young Italian men become so adept on the water. On one of our walks, we think we found the answer.
- From this:
- To this:
What happens in between is still a mystery.
On the streets of Cannaregio there was an eerie calm, but looking down showed that it had not always been so. In the Campo di Ghetto Nuovo, the presence of a discarded miniature battle-axe suggested a darker and more turbulent history. Or maybe it was simply a child's toy.
Walking along the Fondamenta Nuove gave us some respite from the heat, as there was nothing between us and the breeze coming from the North. We brought a picnic along, and sat near the hospital jetty watching boats come and go to Murano and San Michele.
We also spent time in the Gardini Publici, where magnolia trees were in full bloom.
Nearby was the site of the Venice Biennale - a bizarre overgrown ghost town at the moment, it was hard to imagine how the area would be when the festival is in full swing.
So, that was our time in Venice. We had a fantastic week, long days walking the streets all hot and sweaty, followed by long nights in a hot and sweaty apartment.
It is a truly unique city and in our time there we had many memorable moments. The final image tells a fun story. We had time to spare before our train departed, so we settled down beneath a flowery tree to rest away from the crowds. Soon after, a homeless man turned up and sat nearby. Then another. Then another...
We had stumbled onto a little mobile food kitchen run by local volunteers. The men being served were very friendly with us, and quite interested in our story. The most vocal was a partly drunk former Russian, who kept enquiring whether we were from Russia as well, looking disappointed each time we gave him our answer.
They were a happy bunch and it was a colourful close to our time in Italy.
1 comments:
How could there be no comments on Venice?
We are glad you had a fantastic week (for it was a unique landscape; Susan only remembers the mouldy smell of canals).
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