VENICE

We decide to start our day early so park and sleep only kilometers from Venice and then find a spot for Vincent on the dry land side and bus into a new world. What can be said that has not already been said about this unique environment? We learn that Venice sits in a lagoon making the water neither salt nor fresh, thus creating a different taste to fish, much like Barramundi either river or ocean caught. We set off on the water ferry to head to Murano. Here we relive a memory with Nan of her Murano glass purchased many moons ago. Now there is a tourist nightmare of shops selling glass, some authentic and some not. There is so much it has the effect of ruining each other. Still great to see the craft. Back on the ferry and past the cemetery, an island in itself, and on to the mainland. A very lovely tourist advice woman, a local, gave us valuable advice, just walk. This we did. As you stroll through the streets and view the canals from every angle one is marveled by the architecture and the sheer magnificence of the ability of this city to live on water. Imagine a tiny bridge across a small canal that leads only to your front door, gorgeous. Imagine the open hole in the wall at water level in a hotel where supplies are delivered. Imagine boats churning along with maybe rubbish bins or the cement mixer for your trade. All this and more will great you on the canals. Then there is the gondola. One is romantic, two pretty but as you see them one after the other, at one time 8 in a row in a small canal, they kind of loose effect. What it will be like in high season one can’t imagine. The ferries give you a chance to jump on and off the water and it seems always possible to grab a spot on the rail to view the scene and get those perfect shot.
We eventually hit the Plaza del San Marco and queue to enter St Marks Cathedral. The golden mosaics are lovely but not as good as those of Revenna. Outside we successfully negotiate the pigeons and guide Georgia through, I think she is finally coming to terms with birds. We take the obligatory photo of The Bridge of Sighs and head again to the back streets and the water and arrive over in the artistic quarter and wind our way along viewing lovely work by local Artisans. Now we hit another tourist block at the Rialto Bridge and then back on to the Grand Canal to head to our starting point for our trip back to Vincent. We have lasted almost till darkness and enjoy the effect of the lights starting to twinkle along the canal.
We had thought we would spend another day and buy the museum pass and trundle off again with a purpose of seeing everything but something changed our mind. It wasn’t till the end of our day that we understood what the tourist bureau lady had meant. She had advised not to do the museums, strange you may think, but she was really right. The beauty of Venice is to see ‘it’, not what it holds. If you are there for a week there is much to do but if only a short time just walk, it will reward you with all its romance, beauty and mystery and I am sure be etched in your memory forever. Venice is a charm, unique and a lovely spot on this earth.

Photos can be found on Facebook in the album VENICE