Posts Tagged ‘venice’

Hidden Venice

Thursday, September 18th, 2014

DSC02311 (300x400)Ever been to Disneyland on a holiday?  The crowds kinda take some of the fun out of it when you can’t do or see all you had hoped for because of just too many people.  That’s Venice! And don’t get me started about expensive! Gondola rides are now  more than $100 or sitting in St. Mark’s Square and ordering a glass of wine will set you back $19.

So allowing for 3 days in Venice, we settled for two and had a day in Padua instead. It’s a university town (60,000 students worth!) and it has rivers and canals and cobbled streets and market day and cheap pizza!

But Steve and I did turn a few hours in Venice into a treasure hunt and had a great time seeing things people would normally pass over. For example, among all the white pillars of the Doge’s Palace there are two pink ones. You’d miss it if you didn’t look for them. The Doge would stand there for all criminal sentencings as well as hangings. You can find the site where the scaffolding was erected because it’s across from the elaborate clock so the condemned man could see his last minute. St. Mark’s Basilica does not line up with the square, but if you seek it out, there is a medallion in the marble that is the perfect axis point to the church. We ran around the Square and the Rialto Bridge finding these sort of things in lieu of standing in lines.

So a little hide n’ seek, a dance in the middle in the square, and a gelato…we had a party Venice-style!

Light At The End Of The Tunnel

Friday, June 5th, 2009

tunnelTunnels

I had previously thought the Italians were the experts on tunnels – why go over when you can go through.  They know nothing compared to the Swiss!  As we left Italy (Venice via Lake Como), on our way to Bern, we passed thru the longest tunnel in the world!

The Gotthard Tunnel is 35 miles long and you just don’t want to think about it while you are in it.  On the Swiss side, as you exited any tunnel, you would be in a different world than the one you entered.  And Switzerland is drop-dead gorgeous!

One Mans’ Venice…

Monday, June 1st, 2009

gondolaracesWe left a gorgeous day in Montalcino to tearful goodbyes and much happiness for all that we experienced.  Heading north, we got on the autostradde just south of Florence and enjoyed some magnificent scenery, from the mountains, to the prairies, to the ocean of Venice.

gondolas-coveredAhhhhh, but Venice. There were no gondolas, water taxis, or vaporettos running on this busy Sunday.  There were races in the canals of all sorts of floating contraptions, but mostly multi-person skulls.  Never saw a start or finish line, but  these had commandeered the scene.  They were fun to watch but couldn’t get to some places because of crowds now all reduced to walking.

venicecrowdWe managed to get to St Mark’s Square, where there is construction limitations on the campanile, only to find it wall to wall people (Multiple cruise ships in port).  Lines were so ridiculously long, we passed on all sights and had a cup of hot chocolate, and people-watched and meandered down alley-ways that weren’t impassable.

We took a bus and a train from Vicenza, where we are staying at a military base, a very ,very nice suite with every amenity.  I was slammed with a head cold rolex replica so we are staying a third night before heading to Bern, didn’t want to spread it.  Steve thinks it’s wine withdrawl.  I’ve gone 3 days without and I’m going into detox? 

So it’s mixed reviews on Venice.

Sad Day

Friday, May 1st, 2009

Debbie and Steve leave Montalcino today.  First stop:  Milan.

Where did the time go????  From Milan we go to Bern Switzerland , then Interlochen, then  Garmmesh,  back to Venice , then Salzburg , then Munich , Rottenburg, Denmark , Sweden , home.  We have to make calls to book the military bases that will house us when we are in Garmmesh, Venice , Munich and Rottenburg.

Kathie And Jeanie In Venice

Friday, May 1st, 2009

Kathie and Jeanie arrive in Italy in Venice.