Day 35

Venice

We have it on good authority (MYS’s gorgeous girlfriend) that it was important to feed the pigeons while in Venice so here is MGM, looking very suave, with the pigeons in San Marco.

and here is the magnificent san Marco,

well it is magnificent when you take the scaffolding away. The price we pay for traveling out of season is that winter is when they face-lift all significant buildings to be really spiffy for all the ‘real’ tourists in summer. Fortunately we have seen it in all its glory on a previous visit. I went in, although I just looked at the bits I could see for free, well worth it because of the unique gold mosaic that covers the vast interior. Last time we paid and saw it all, even the bonze horses at the top which don’t appear to be there now so perhaps they’re getting a facelift too. This square is so majestic even with the big screen up ready for some festivities to come I think.

Even the shops that surround San Marco are beautiful, I love the masks they sell, the photo doesn’t do them justice. they come in every colour imaginable and somehow, like the human face each one seems to be different. Truly amazing when you consider just how many shops there are selling the same thing.

Someone is thinking outside the square and creating something for the younger generation, so I took this pic for my trekkies, some were more Borg-like than others… so wished I could by one of these for each of you!

We succumbed to the tourist cliché today …

Yes we did, we went for a ride in a gondola and it was ridiculously exciting.

MGM’s doing the suave-thing again but that Cheshire-cat grin of mine reveals the excitement quite aptly I think. It was a lovely, gentle, perfectly peaceful ride, seeing Venice from a different perspective.

 

             

MGM actually got to experience the canal close up and personal with a small miss-step when alighting. Instead of alighting onto the dock he ‘slighted’ right into the drink up to his knee. The head gondola guy unceremoniously pushed me aside in his attempts to get to MGM before he went in any further. he got there so fast I’m surprised they didn’t all go in completely. Typical of the glass half full optimist, MGM wasn’t at all phased by the bucket of water he carried in his shoe back to the hotel…“it’s all part of the experience” he said with a laugh.

After a change of shoes and clothes we launched off again for our final wander around mesmerizing Venice. We did find a glass artist hard at work in his studio who was gracious enough to let me watch a piece from beginning to end complete with glass-blowing. He was a the first friendly artist we’ve come across and it was a real honour to be able to watch his creative process, in his studio below.

We are becoming quite the Venice experts, well at least we must look confident because fellow tourists keep asking for help. MGM ventured out to the vending machines for water late last night and got accosted by two different groups asking how the public transport worked (I suppose when he helped the first group in clear, easy to understand English the other thought hallelujah!). Today while we were working out what to see next we could feel a couple getting closer and closer. Eventually I asked if they’d like to look at our map, you could actually see the worry slide off their faces. They were lost you see, just as we were, but we had a map. They’d just arrived, dumped their bags and set off into the alluring but deadly similar streets of Venice (no map). We assured them that they certainly would not be the first or last to be lost in Venice but it was a bit alarming when they didn’t know where they wanted to go except ‘back to the hotel’.

Eventually we identified a landmark near their hotel (San Marco), gave them our map and a few navigational clues and wished them good luck.

We grabbed a slice of pizza and my new favourite drink la limonata (best lemon soda ever) and headed back to the room for a bit of packing I’m afraid. Hate the idea of leaving tomorrow but we are lashing out on a fast boat all the way to the airport. We usually public transport it in and out – so easy and cheap – but tomorrow we’re travelling Venice to Marco Polo, flying Venice to Munich, changing planes flying Munich to Budapest. There isn’t a huge margin for error so we’re splurging on the first leg. It’s not like we’re going on the ultra expensive water taxi, it’s actually not too much dearer than the Vaperreto/bus combo but it will certainly be another experience to add to the  many memories we have stored up so far.

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Day 34

Venice

Okay so this is not the view from the window but if I go down the hall down some steps across a landing, up some steps around the corner put some glass doors, up some ancient looking stone steps and across a viewing deck this is what I see…

right

straight ahead

left

We ventured into unknown territory today, driven by my desire to see the glass-workers on the island of Murano. We have a ticket office for the transit authority right at our door, very handy, so we bought a 12 hour pass which entitles us to ride whatever public transport we desire, as much as we want for the duration. Working out which stop, which line and what direction consumed me totally and unfortunately I didn’t factor in it was all on the water and that MGM does not have sea-legs. After several on/off/on the next line he baulked at waiting for the next boat on the floating dock and I realised he was feeling a bit queasy, poor boy. He bravely fronted up for the rest of the day on a boat of some sort just so I could see the glass blowing.

Unfortunately there wasn’t enough tourists about to make the glass-blowers too friendly. I found one factory, could see two guys working away, after a brief chat about staring at them from a distance I told them I was wiling to pay my fare but they said ‘no show for you only for two’. Poor MGM was not feeling well enough so they let me go away, with my money safely in my pocket rather than take one person through the demo alone – seems like an odd way to make a living but I suppose their wares bring in enough to allow them to be choosey.

here’s some pics along the way from Rialto to San Murano…

pulling into San Marco (below)

San Marco (below) going here tomorrow 

We stopped in at San Michele the cemetery island, the most beautiful cemetery I’ve ever seen. Every grave has brightly coloured flowers on it, every single one!

Murano (below)

      

Yep this sculpture is all glass!

I did get to see some lampworking, which is the kind of glass work I do so the day was a success for me but I think MGM was glad to be heading back to our room. We only went part way back on the boat, opting to walk across the main island (not very far) to give MGM a rest from the rocking and to see other scenery. He wasn’t too sick to fool around though…

After our rest we went in search of meat, enough of this pasta, fish, pizza thing MGM was on a mission for steak or ribs. In a state of extreme doubt i followed along, turns out he had a plan and we ended up at The Hard Rock Cafe – what fun! I’ve never been to one before and apart from feeling very very old it was highly successful (he had to have one win today). The drinks were fantastic I had a strawberry daiquiri in a long glass and then a raspberry lemonade that the waitress offered in alcoholic or non (guess which one I had), I had some food too. MGM was happy, he had a plate of meat.

3 things

I’d like to have as my ideal job…

1. in the Bodleian Library (Oxford) … anything, shelving, sweeping the floors…anything!
2. barista in Bad Aussee, Grundlsee or Oberstaufen
3. in a jewellery shop in Venice… ideally making glass beads but I’d be happy just stringing seed beads.

p.s. I miss you my cherubs, I’m visiting lots of churches whilst in Venice, I like to take time out from the tourism thing to sit quietly with God, so I’m saying a prayer for you in each of them..love love love you.

Day 33

Venice

the view from the widow this morning

Ha ha … bit of a change from the views so far isn’t it? But don’t worry this is the view if I lean out the window and zoomed a lot …

This is actually taken not by zooming but rather standing in front of the hotel, as you can see is so close to the Rialto bridge. Over this beautiful bridge so iconicly Venice, we went this morning for a wonderful day seeing so much of non-touristy Venice in the Dorsoduro district while we walked to Chiesa della Salute (the church that’s opposite San Marco right in the tip of the pink section of the map). I’ve always wanted to go there but in past visits we’ve been caught up in the many sights around San Marco.

 this is some of what we saw today

   

 

 

  here is our morning tea stop…cake and coffee – such delicious cake and coffee I felt like I’d died and gone to heaven.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

always look up…

moving on…

 

The big building with the dome is our destination, we’re about 2/3s of the way now.

   

and here we are

Looking back towards San Marco

It was quite a hike getting here so we were a bit foot-sore. We took the shorter route back, across this bridge. There’s only 3 bridges across the Grand Canal, we crossed 2 of them today.

Where I took this pic (below). It was a surprisingly quick trip back for which we were grateful.

After a rest, some blogging, and reading we went for more food (I fear no amount of walking is going to offset the amount of food I’m consuming). We asked the concierge for a recommendation and just look where he suggested we eat! The little bridge went directly to the door, its promise was fully realised inside.

And joy oh joy page after page in the menu of yummy things for me with 4 or 5 after-thought things for the carnivores!

We walked home under the fairy lights on the Rialto bridge – magic!