Day Trip to Venice part II
Arriving in Venezia, we dashed to the bathrooms on the platform with everyone else.
Spending a penny was now spending L1,000 lira, however as the expression was eons old, this was probably a fair inflationary affect.
Then the plan was to head to San Marco as early as possible, before the worst of the hoards descended.
Our plan was slightly delayed as we travelled through the old centre island of town, avoiding the crush around the Grand Canal.
Very good plan.
Very enticing diversions.
Two couldn't be avoided; the 1st a locals Caffe Bar with the most wonderful display of pastries in the small window & inside.
All production of the proprietor, the Venetian specialties were all delectable, and the caffe standing at the bar was excellent and cheap.
The other diversion struck Rob & I simultaneously; a tourist shop, filled with miniature shoes, hats & so on in lush fabrics.
The shoes screamed "Lynne", Rob's elder sister, and whilst expensive, one on display in the window in red & green tones was the unanimous choice.
A crunch of the credit card, and we were on our way.
San Marco appeared as a surprising vision to me.
Not at all like the movie images I had seen.
Scaffolding covered many facades, with printed or painted images on the covering sheets to give the illusion of it's previous incarnation.
Curious rough boardwalks crossed from where the entrance to the Piazza started to the waterfront, and in front of the Cathedral, already covered with queues of people.
We arranged to meet at a certain statue or pole in the event of our getting dispersed in the crush of humanity.
For the first time I felt like a tourist in a tourist spot; something I had succeeded in avoiding on previous trips.
A traveller not a tourist.
I pointed out to Rob the strange gurgling water spouting from two or 3 points in the square which we investigated without much concern.
I had heard of this through the BBC, although Rob had not seen it in his previous visits.
My aversion to queues meant the Cathedral was off.
Rob waxed lyrically about walking up the tower for the view, and discovering that this wait was positively pea-sized in Venice, I joined with a jaded and cynical manner that it would be worth it.
In no time, we had paid our money and joined crush to enter the lift to go up the tower by an efficient, although less romantic fashion to the spiralling staircase (which was closed).
This was tourist city central; full of Japanese, British, Australian and American tourists, however when one fought the way to viewing windows the sights were well worth it.
Carolyne
Spending a penny was now spending L1,000 lira, however as the expression was eons old, this was probably a fair inflationary affect.
Then the plan was to head to San Marco as early as possible, before the worst of the hoards descended.
Our plan was slightly delayed as we travelled through the old centre island of town, avoiding the crush around the Grand Canal.
Very good plan.
Very enticing diversions.
Two couldn't be avoided; the 1st a locals Caffe Bar with the most wonderful display of pastries in the small window & inside.
All production of the proprietor, the Venetian specialties were all delectable, and the caffe standing at the bar was excellent and cheap.
The other diversion struck Rob & I simultaneously; a tourist shop, filled with miniature shoes, hats & so on in lush fabrics.
The shoes screamed "Lynne", Rob's elder sister, and whilst expensive, one on display in the window in red & green tones was the unanimous choice.
A crunch of the credit card, and we were on our way.
San Marco appeared as a surprising vision to me.
Not at all like the movie images I had seen.
Scaffolding covered many facades, with printed or painted images on the covering sheets to give the illusion of it's previous incarnation.
Curious rough boardwalks crossed from where the entrance to the Piazza started to the waterfront, and in front of the Cathedral, already covered with queues of people.
We arranged to meet at a certain statue or pole in the event of our getting dispersed in the crush of humanity.
For the first time I felt like a tourist in a tourist spot; something I had succeeded in avoiding on previous trips.
A traveller not a tourist.
I pointed out to Rob the strange gurgling water spouting from two or 3 points in the square which we investigated without much concern.
I had heard of this through the BBC, although Rob had not seen it in his previous visits.
My aversion to queues meant the Cathedral was off.
Rob waxed lyrically about walking up the tower for the view, and discovering that this wait was positively pea-sized in Venice, I joined with a jaded and cynical manner that it would be worth it.
In no time, we had paid our money and joined crush to enter the lift to go up the tower by an efficient, although less romantic fashion to the spiralling staircase (which was closed).
This was tourist city central; full of Japanese, British, Australian and American tourists, however when one fought the way to viewing windows the sights were well worth it.
Carolyne
posted by Carolyne at 2:11 am
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