The dueling orchestras apparently don't play tonight. So, instead of paying 15 euro cover and sipping overpriced wine on St. Mark's Square to several five-piece groups, I'm sitting on the lagoon for free, listening to the gondolas as they lazily bob in the water. Perhaps this worked out for the best!
I've only been in Venice for half a day but I already have quite a few thoughts on it. The inconveniences are immediately apparent. The slow train ride in, the crowded water buses (vaporetti), the extreme density of the tourists, the expense of everything here, the lack of simple things you take for granted- cheap taxis, the ability to walk places. Despite all this- it's a pretty awesome place. I'm probably more likely to return to Venice than I am to return to anywhere else I've been this trip. But- this paragraph is a conclusion not an intro. Let's go in order, for goodness sake!
I got off the train starving because it was 13:00 and all I'd eaten was an extremely small quantity of food I stole from my hotel's breakfast at 6:45. (It doesn't open till 8:00). I grabbed a panini from a restaurant next to the station and sat on the steps of the station surveying the city. This in itself is interesting. Normally when you get out of a transportation hub, you don't spend more than 30 seconds standing around before you start working on transportation to get to your hotel, right? Not so in Venice. Even though you're expecting it, getting off the train and being greated with a river instead of a street triggers a severe WTF moment. Venice really scared me when I was planning this trip- I'm still afraid I'm going to fall into a canal or something. So it's not surprising that dozens of tourists were doing exactly what I was- sitting on the steps, attempting to make sense of the madness.
Eventually I bought my vaporetti ticket and prompty scanned it at the dock going the wrong way. Oops. An elderly British couple did the same thing and together we found the right dock. This time when I scanned it it beeped red, but no one was paying attention, so I slipped into the little platform. Glad that I didn't have to buy another ticket. Rick Steves has an audiotour for the canal trip from the train station to St. Mark's Square. So, that a good thing. I wish the vaporetti had seats in a more convenient place, the few good ones were taken by the time I boarded. But I elbowed to the left side (as directed by RS of course) and had a pretty good time of it. Nothing quite like being floated past gondolas and slamming into docks instead of stopping at bus stops. Here's some pictures of the palaces built on the grand canal. An interesting thing to note is that these are mostly facades- most of the buildings here are actually made of brick!
I wasn't much impressed with my hotel, but it is surprisingly cheap, and I learned later that I can get free Internet there, so I'm glad for that.
I went back out to the Square. There are pidgeons everywhere on this square. There are so many pidgeons that RS gives advice for what to do if they make a deposit on your head. To my friend who desires to kick a pidgeon- not named to protect the guilty- this is the place that you should do it. They don't fear humans, and they cluster together. I reckon with one kick you could nail three of them, easy.
I got through about four tracks of the St. Mark's Square audioguide before I was distracted by the shops. They are awesome.
I got through about four tracks of the St. Mark's Square audioguide before I was distracted by the shops. They are awesome.
On one of
these islands they make a ton of glass, and they spin it into a huge variety of items, and the shops for them are just great. There's also other shops. Don't laugh- I came very close to purchasing a 250 euro sword (includes shipping). It looks totally awesome. There's really no reason why I shouldn't get it, except that it really has nothing to do with Italy, could probably be purchased cheaper if I bought it locally, oh, and the whole idea is ridiculous. That store was awesome though. I would like to take about half of it home. I didn't buy the sword, and so instead I went crazy buying glass. I bought so much glass that I didn't have enough money on me to sit down for a meal, so I bought another panini. Hmm. The reason I feel hungry is becoming clearer. I have not eaten much today.
these islands they make a ton of glass, and they spin it into a huge variety of items, and the shops for them are just great. There's also other shops. Don't laugh- I came very close to purchasing a 250 euro sword (includes shipping). It looks totally awesome. There's really no reason why I shouldn't get it, except that it really has nothing to do with Italy, could probably be purchased cheaper if I bought it locally, oh, and the whole idea is ridiculous. That store was awesome though. I would like to take about half of it home. I didn't buy the sword, and so instead I went crazy buying glass. I bought so much glass that I didn't have enough money on me to sit down for a meal, so I bought another panini. Hmm. The reason I feel hungry is becoming clearer. I have not eaten much today.
After my shopping binge, I finished the audio tour. I learned a lot about Venice, which is good I guess. I'm starting to suffer from some pretty severe mental travel fatigue. I planned a pretty short trip so that I could take another one the same length later this year. Definitely this was the right choice- this is plenty long. Tomorrow I'll do more shopping at the Rialto Bridge market, tour St Mark's Basillica, and Im attending a short walking/eating tour, and then it's time to start preparing for the return trip to Chicago. This is perfect, I think.
This is probably my last post from Italy, because there won't be time tomorrow. Definitely stay tuned, though. There's a missing day from Cinque Terre I may or may not write up, plus tomorrow to document. And there's a big conclusion post fermenting in my head, not to mention numerous interesting anecdotes I want to share but haven't yet.
Sneak Peak-
Italians who burst into song.
Music that Italians think Americans want to listen to.
Italian Television.
Italian Astronomy.
Italian Pizza.
Italian dining, pt2
Ciao!
Italians who burst into song.
Music that Italians think Americans want to listen to.
Italian Television.
Italian Astronomy.
Italian Pizza.
Italian dining, pt2
Ciao!
Venice looks unique! I wonder if Manhattan will look like this with a little more ice cap melting.
ReplyDeleteAll I could think of looking at the buildings is ..."And I thought I had sump pump problems in the basement!!!!"
Indeed! Though as you know I like birds, pidgeons have never interested me. I see them as pushy and dirty. Probably why it took me a while to warm up to the morning doves that visit our yard. One time when you were little you tried to kick a duck or goose at the lake, I am glad you have more empathy now, perhaps. Your shopping style has some interest to me, these are not Dad genes to be sure.
ReplyDeleteI loved Venice! Probably one of my favs in Italy.
ReplyDelete