3 Oct - Thursday Venice Italy

When we arrived in Venice, our coach and driver remained on the mainland for 2 days and our group and luggage were separately transferred by water.

I can't say I was impressed by our 'initial view' of the port where our coach dropped us off.

This soon changed:

Our delightful hotel had originally been a convent.

Each hotel has some peculiaritity.  This one had the 'don't touch or pull the cords with the red knob' in the bathroom.

This made one immediately curious as to what and where this red knob was. It is down in the bottom middle of the photo just above the little white 'box'. There was another in the shower and both are 'in case of medical emergency'.  I do see however ( aside from curiosity) why the red knob would be pulled.  The cause is the toilet is located against the back wall ( not visible in photo) and then one has to search for the 'flush' buttons which are on this side wall - in photo middle left hand side.  Perhaps some ( not us) see the red knob and think that is how the toilet is flushed.  Perhaps ......

The drama of toilets in foreign lands continues.   In Venice, public toilets cost up to Euro 1.50. I long for the days when my money may be used for coffee rather than toilets!

That night we went on a cruise on the canals by private water taxi to see Venice at night.

We were all on a high when we were dropped off at St Mark's Square for a glass of wine and a wonderful entertaining musical performance by a trio.  Jonathan surprised everyone (except me) when he was able to sing ( with gusto) with the musicians. It was a night to remember.

The next day, started well - look at some of the breakfast! menu items.  Cake galore!  Together with more traditional breakfast items.  I had both!

We then transferred by private water taxi into the city centre for a general overview, the tour group mandatory visit to a glassblowers  and then we were on our gondola rides. 

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This is where we saw the gondolas all 'ready to go' for later in the day

As we were only a small group of 21, we were in 4 gondolas and a singer and accordion player were in one of the 'boats' to serenade our group.  We were very lucky that they still conducted the rides as the tide was very high and this makes it more difficult for the gondoliers to make their way under the endless low bridges.

It was a great experience.

 The reflection of two of our fellow group members has been caught in the 'front fin'( don't know what it is called) of the gondola- which looks a bit confusing.

 See how the gondoliers use their feet to push against the walls.

Because the tide had been so high, there was water over St Mark's square. Trestles were brought out so that people could navigate the square even though it was about 1.5 ft under water at high tide. After high tide, the trestles are stacked up for the next day ( if high tides are expected to continue) or put away until the next lot of high tides.

St Mark's at the far LH corner.  Bell tower in far right.

We were going to go to the top of the bell tower ( ie climb it - ok, we are mad) but ran out of time)

We then had some free time to explore what we willed. 

We spent the time at St Mark's  ( not another cathedral!) but it was magnificent and  we went (climbed to the balcony ) looking out over the Square.

This shows some of the beautiful mosaics of St Mark’s Basilica 

Outside St Mark's, Kermy and his Spanish friend joined me in cuddling another lion. I do love my Lions.

Views from terrace outside St Mark's 

 

At the very top are the Clock Tower Moors who

have been striking the hour for over 500 years. 

See too a close up of the beautiful clock face:

 Jonathan looking down from balcony St Mark's.  At the far right where there is seating is where we had our champagne and music ( and singing) at the restaurant the night before.

 This building, next to St Mark's was our next port of call. It is called  Doges' Palace.  It is is where the Government of Venice would preside.

It is an example of another magnificent building. The apartments inside were 'over the top' or extravagant beyond belief again.

Along the waterfront the building is connected by a bridge to the jail.  Prisoners ( including Casanova so they say) once sentenced, would be lead to their fate through this completely covered bridge. 

 

External view of the bridge of sighs.

Lord Byron referred to as the Bridge of Sighs - as they  ( the condemned ) would sigh as they saw their last view of the water. 

 Only view of outside as prisoners crossed to the jail.

 The only daylight opening on the "connecting bridge" from the court to the jail.

We went down to the jail and for a while thought we were going to be stuck there. 

It was a race against time as the one way route kept on taking us down, down down and we needed to get up and out to join the group again.

Fortunately, by basically rushing along, we made it.  Had time to peek at a couple of the stalls ( I know they are called junk stalls but I love them, by waterfront).  I love the masks but alas too big to carry. Had to be satisfied with miniature ones for Emma and Michael.

We boarded the boat for the late lunch / early dinner at an island called Burano- where every tourist group seems to go when in Venice.

After a great meal at some highly rated restaurant we had some time to walkabout the town and then meet by an identifiable building - the leaning church.

Only I and the church were not on an angle! One of the guys ( from Gold Coast) said that obviously one bricklayer worked faster than the other on the church.

Then to top it off, there was another 'model' bride.  No, Jonathan didn't go near her as far as I'm aware.

These brides just seem to be everywhere!

Why did we have to leave Venice the next day when there was so much yet to see and do?