A day in Venice

We woke up, ate breakfast, packed, cleaned and started the car. After unsuccessfully trying to remove the ice from the car by pouring hot water on it, Keeley tried the demister combined with scraping. The hot water only turned into more ice! Lesson learned!

We finally got going just before 10, stopped for fuel and iced coffee, and kept on flying along the highway to Marco Polo Airport. Some fast Italian drivers whizzed past us- we just got out of their way! We negotiated our way into the long park at the airport, put our day backpacks on and headed to the terminal where we purchased tickets for the water-bus, and followed the signs until we reached the harbour. As we were boarding the boat, the ticket officer asked where we were going, to which Keeley quickly replied “Venice.” I added, “San Marco”. It’s always been me stuffing up, but this time I had the last laugh. The look on her face!

After what seemed like hours, we arrived at San Marco. It seemed like hours because before each stop, I’d say to Keeley, “I think this is it!” because I’d see a tower! Do you know how many towers there are in Venice?

We walked across the square, and down the alley to the San Zulian. I booked the same hotel as 3 years ago, because I knew where it was. Venice is the easiest place in the world to get lost! We dumped our packs in the room and headed out to find some lunch/dinner as it was now after 3.30pm. Purely by chance, we stumbled onto one of the restaurants I’d eaten at 3 years ago! I ordered the 3-course special for 13.50 euro while Keeley ordered bruschetta and gnocci, plus a litre of house red. Not hungry anymore, we returned to our room to don some warmer clothes to go out,  as it was getting cooler. Wanting to make the most of our time here, I decided to take Keeley to the theatre to see Venezia, 1000 years of Venetian history, which Stacey and I saw last time. I thought I knew where it was- just up the end of the square and to the right. Well, I went one alley too far and became totally, completely and utterly lost. I think we even ended up on another island; we crossed enough bridges anyway! We finally found our way back to San Marco, and asked a policeman the way to Teatro San Gallo (I had remembered the name of the theatre, thank goodness!) He gave us explicit directions, and we found it easily. It was literally steps away from the square!

We were welcomed into the foyer, and asked for 2 tickets- 78 euro. I almost had an apoplectic fit- I’m sure they weren’t this expensive last time I was here. I said I think they were 12 euro 3 years ago, to which she replied, ”You’ve been here before?”  Apparently, that entitled us to an 18 euro discount! Guess what a bottle of prosecco costs? Yep, 18 euro. We sat down with our glasses and heard some Aussie voices so talked to the young couple from Sydney for half an hour until the play started. They are travelling on their own round Europe, just booking as they go.  They got a hotel room for 3 nights for less than ours cost for 2!

It was different from what I remembered, and I kept looking around to make sure someone didn’t come up scare me from behind again, but they must have deleted that from the performance after me giving the poor guy a heart attack last time!

Entertaining as well as informative. The word “bank” comes from the moneylenders who used to sit on the benches, “bancos”, on the bridges, in particular the Rialto Bridge. The word “carnevale” comes from carne- meat and vale- goodbye, goodbye to meat at the start of Lent. Also the lion is a symbol of Venice, never noticed them before, but there are 2,436 of them!

Once out of the theatre, we made our way back to our room stopping at the gelati shop on the corner. Our room seems like a doll’s house after our expansive mansion in Zbilje it also costs more for 2 nights here than for 5 nights in Slovenia, but hey, this is VENICE!

I slept soundly until Keeley woke me up at some ungodly hour and I couldn’t get back to sleep- she did though! Down to breakfast at 8am. We were the only ones there! We had cereal, yoghurts, juice, bread and jam and the best coffee yet! I asked for a pot of coffee and a jug of hot milk and made my own!

Off to the Doge’s Palace where I managed a 6 euro senior’s discount- I must look tired today!  We walked through room upon room of opulence and splendor that was on show to visiting royalty and dignitaries, while the Doge himself lived very frugally in apartments that are closed off to the public unless you do the secret itineraries tour which I did last time. Over the Bridge of Sighs to the prison cells where Keeley disappeared ahead of me. And wouldn’t you know? She was waiting around a corner and scared the living daylights out of me. She laughed so hard- apparently, I don’t just scare, I look terrified! She said the look on my face was priceless, but she didn’t capture it. That cheered her up as she was feeling a bit down in the dumps this morning.

Footsore already, we trudged on- we only have one day here- to Murano- or “Milano” as Keeley is wont to call it. We hopped off the boat at Murano and straight to the WC and paid 1.50 euro for the privilege- it’s gone up 50 cents in 3 years! We walked the whole length of the street, looking in at least twenty shops and still didn’t spend anything. We did, however, meet up with the Aussie couple from the theatre last night,who recognized us as they were walking past a shop. Talk about small world! We chatted for a while. What had they done this morning? Just been looking for accommodation in Rome and booking an apartment for 3 days. That’s one disadvantage of booking as you go!

We saw a sign for takeaway fish and chips, and we thought we’d save money by not having a sit-down meal. Not so- the “fish” and chips were 20 euro! The “fish” was squid and baby octopus, but we were HUNGRY!

Back to the serious business of glass shopping! We wound up buying from 4 different shops and spent 9 euro more today than I did 3 years ago. It was my big shopping day then, and was today too! I love this place!

Back to the boat! Just as I’m about to board the boat, I noticed I didn’t have my stick for support so back I went, up the long street, to find my stick. Of course I left it in the second last shop! We missed that boat.

Keeley just shook her head in disbelief! We caught the next boat back. I was aching all over, so I went straight back to our room to stretch out while Keeley went to climb the bell tower, which was impossible as it was closed. She roused me from my nap to go to dinner at the little Italian restaurant just round the corner from us in San Zulian square. We shared a pasta with basil, pinenuts and garlic- delish! And then had pizza. We should have shared one as neither of us could eat the lot. It’s in our little fridge right now! We did however polish off a litre of red.

Three Aussies from the Gold Coast sat at the table beside ours, and we started up a lively conversation, which lasted right through dinner. Two of them were very chatty and great travellers with funny stories, the third one barely said a word. They were all 20 (oh to be young, even Keeley felt old!) and two of them were at uni studying to be teachers. Harry was the history/geography teacher so we had a lot in common. Nathan was the Keeley sort of traveller (he loves Harry Potter for example and drove to a town in Switzerland just because it had the same name as something in Harry Potter!)

When I went to dinner, I was dragging myself along- amazing how some scintillating conversation (Keeley asks is she not scintillating enough?) can pick one up- I was all ready for a night on the town with them- but alas, I had to return to the theatre as I left my scarf there last night! Hopeless! I didn’t find my scarf, but Keeley found a mask she loved and since she knew the history of the masks in Venice, I bought one for her. She tried on a few and we fooled around and took some photos. The girl gave me a discount because I was at the show last night! This place is discount heaven! I love Venice!