On arrival into Venezia (on Tuesday, 24 August) I noticed 5 big cruise ships - ooh boy it's going to be busy busy busy with tourists.
I ended up getting into Venezia just before 5pm, 1 hour earlier than if I'd taken the train from Verona. So everything worked out in the end.
Walking out of the train station I was full of excitement, I'm back to my beloved Venezia. Everything came rushing back to me from when I lived here in 2003.
I decided to walk to Caterina's although instantly regretted it after going on the first, and biggest, bridge. Got slightly side tracked and ended up at the wrong place, a phone call later and I'm set. Who knows what I am thinking, I blame the heat and elephant.
It is wonderful to see Caterina and the 3 youngest girls again, all who I must add are now taller than me. (Yes I realise that's not hard.) They had returned late last night from Cortina so with no food in the fridge Caterina and I went shopping, always fun to do here.
Caterina and I are going to one of her friends places for dinner - finally I get to wear some of the clothes I've been carrying around including my high heels!
We are fashionable late, Caterina style, but it's no problem. We sat outside eating and drinking, the food was just wonderful. Thankfully we had the walk home to digest some of it.
I had a very short night, I was attacked by mozzies for 2 hours - word must have got out that a new kid was on the block as I feel like I had every mozzie in Venezia in my room!!!
Wednesday morning (25 August) I had a quiet time at home. Have I mentioned the house is on the canal grande? Just amazing standing on the balcony and watching, Dad you would love it! Much busier, obviously, than where the old place was.
I went out for a walk late morning along with all of Africa and half of China, as you can imagine walking was painfully slow. Loved just wandering the street though, walked over Rialto Bridge where I could have spent all day just staring down at the Canal Grande. I will never get tired of this view.
The twins cooked lunch for me, then I headed out to the Lido with Roger (the carne) to meet up with Caterina. Being on the water again was brilliant – I could go on about the views, however will spare you. We fixed things up at the house (they rent it out now) for the new people arriving in the weekend and finally returned home just before 9pm, I was dead dog tired. It had been a long and very hot afternoon - doesn't help that I was attacked by mozzies yet again. They were all waiting for me to get off the boat.
Thursday morning I helped Catetina with some of her work - far too hot to be outside!!! Then early afternoon I headed out to the airport to meet Bridget, was super excited she was to be in Italia for 2 weeks.
I had a bit of a mere getting here, took a wrong turn and missed the bus by 1 minute. Ended up having to wait both at the bus station and at the airport.
We dropped Bridget’s bag to the house, skulled some water before heading out for the famous Spritz. I'd forgotten how good these were!!
We had dinner at the house with the twins, made margaritta pizza which was very tasty buy slightly undercooked! The girls were hungry and couldn’t allow it to cook for a minute more.
After dinner Bridget and I went for a walk to Piazza San Marco. I was surprised there weren’t more people around. Walking there was great, lots of small alleyways and canals. Everything looks amazing!
It was molto caldo (very hot) still at 11pmish when we returned home. Who knows how you are suppose to sleep in this heat! And with no air conditioning.
Bridget was suffering a bit and after we had gone to bed got up to locate her fan, she was going to fan herself to sleep. I was in fits of laughter! How she was going to do this is beyond me.
Friday morning Bridget's alarm went at the crack of dawn! 6am. She had decided last night to get up early and run while there was hardly anyone around. I declined given there was no a/c in the house so it would take me forever and a day to cool down!
We had breakfast at the house before setting out with no fixed location. It was great to be wandering the streets again. After coffee we went to the markets, the selection of fresh fruit, veges, meat and fish was amazing. So many options to cook for dinner tomorrow night!
More wandering the streets, I could spend days and days just wandering around looking at Venice without doing any of the "tourist" attractions.
The smells we received from peoples kitchen were amazing, and luck would have us near home we decided to buy lunch from the supermarket and cook at home.
Mid afternoon we headed out to wander the streets again. Stopped in many of the little shops that were everywhere before going into Church of San Polo then the Frari Church.
After exiting the Frari we decided a gelato was needed, although within a couple of minutes of leaving Bridget spied people drinking spritz so off we went in search of places I use to go to when I lived here. Sitting in Campo Santa Margariata enjoying a spritz and people watching, brilliant! From here we walked to Accademia and over the bridge - views were great on either sid, if only it wasn't so hot we could have stayed for awhile!
By this stage we were molto cardo and losing energy, time to hot foot it to the supermarket then home James don't spare the horses. First stop was the cucina for lots of aqua, then we both rested for awhile. The heat had zapped us.
We had dinner at home with Caterina, Bianca and Claudia - pumpkin soup with rice then mozzarella toasted/fried sandwiches and salad. Nice and simply but very tasty! There was no way we were off walking tonight, our feet wouldn't allow it! Instead we enjoyed the views from the balcony and relaxed.
Saturday (28 August) we were up early, I didn't sleep well at all. Not only the heat and but Roger (the dog) kept me awake. We left the house fairly promptly as we wanted to be at Basilica di San Marco before the doors opened. First stop was the post office, I'd decided I needed to lighten my elephant so sent a few things to NZ. After what seemed like forever, and speaking to a few different people we were all set. Time for coffee now, although could have done with a spritz after that experience.
We arrived at Piazza San Marco, behind schedule, and with half the world. Clearly everyone had the same idea as us. We located the end of the line and waited for our turn to enter. I've been in a couple of times before and every time loved it but was looking forward to going in again.
I was shocked though at the other visitors, no one was observing the signs - no photos or videos and silence. And there was no one making sure these were observed. They could have saved money and not printed the signs.
At one point Bridget and I split up, she to visit the main alter. I sat in a small prayer area taking it all in. People were able to light candles in remembrance for others, which I've done before. Within a couple of minutes of the candles being lit, and the lighter leaving the area, a Basilica helper came by and took them all away - amazing. I would have been far from pleased if I'd just a candle. Instead just sat there in shock.
After walking around the inside we went up to the museum then outside on the balcony. Views of Piazza San Marco were molto bene.
By the time we left, Piazza San Marco was packed so we hot footed it out of there! Wandered towards Rialto stopping enroute in a few stores. Had coffee in our regular place before going to the market to buy food for dinner - so many choices but we made it in the end. Decided to head back to Caterina's to drop off our produce, perfect timing they were cooking lunch.
After lunch we took the local gondale across Canal Grande, for 50 cents this is a bargain compared with hiring one for an hour or so. We headed in the direction of the train station, stopping to admire the views along with way. Had a delicious gelato, my first since being in Venezia then continued along the way.
The lines at the train station were long, always seems to be the way, however we needed tickets for tomorrow to Bologna this line up we must.
When we finally exited the train station the weather had changed, it had become cool and it looked like it could rain. After sitting at the waters edge we decided to head off once the thunder started.
We managed to get within a few streets of home before the heavens opened, the search was now on for a bar to have a spritz. A couple of sips into my drink I realized every window in the house was open, as the family had gone away for the night I headed back to the house to make sure everything was safe. Thankfully no water had made it inside. Back to the bar for another spritz before heading home. We had a delicious dinner to prepare (ok well Bridget did) then eat.
Was lovely having someone who loves to cook cook for me. While Bridget was cooking I was searching for accommodation places, always takes so much time. We had calamari, garlic and dried chilli flakes with white wine with pasta to start with. Yum yum yum.
Our main course was pork with rosemary and a courgette salad (peeled courgettes, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and dried thyme). Everything was Molto buono - I'll be keeping Bridget on!!
We decided to head out for a walk to work off some of the yummy food we'd eaten, so off we went to Piazza San Marco again. It's around a 15 minute walk in the evening, longer during the day as 1) you stop to look at the stores and 2) there seems to be a lot more people around.
The temperature had really dropped which was going to be good for sleeping, and thankfully it had stopped raining.
Sunday (29 August) we slept in a bit which was great! The cooler weather definitely helped with that. We had the morning at the house, was wonderful not to be rushing off. We did lots of research for what next after Bologna.
Ooh no it's one month today to I fly to London - how can that be. I'm really not ready......
Right we are finally ready to explore Venezia one more time, by wandering the streets. Lots of stops to look into and a compulsory stop for coffee and cornellas (small pastries with custard in the middle). We wandered to the end of the island, again the views were amazing. We had spied a hole in the wall pizza place so went in search of that and got a slice of pepperoni pizza each and ate standing on the edge of the Canal Grande. Aah pure bliss!
Walked back over the canal grande and to the Stanley Kubrick photography exhibition. What an amazing man he was with the camera.
Walked back to the house with a purpose, we had to pack everything up and leave for the train station. I cannot believe my time in Venezia is up, it has been absolutely fantastic being back but I know I return again!!
We had a quick turnaround, managed to confirm a hotel in Florence and have a late lunch - fresh nectarines with buffalo mozzarella and ham. Molto yummy.
To say the walk to the train station was fast is an understatement! I'd sent a couple of things back to NZ that I thought I wouldn't need anymore and with each step I took really wish I'd sent the whole elephant!!!! Anyway we made it in enough time, stamped our tickets and boarded the train - Bologna here we come.
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