Monday, July 19, 2010

Hotel Contenental, Venezia 
0030 EET (so really, it’s Tuesday as I write)

I discovered in the morning that Nichola would not be joining us for Venezia, which surprised me as I expected to be a group trip, so just the four of us boarded our train for the first half our journey at 07300. While I did listen to Mom and Zia Michela’s conversation, I spent most of the ride reading The Medici by Paul Strathern, which Zio James and Nonno Barry have read and Zio James recommended if for history of Firenze and the Medicic family. I have so far enjoyed the history and characters of the Medici family, and everything is just that much more relevant because of our Firenze tour. In Bolognia we exchanged trains and not only was it the fast train, it was also chilly in comparison even with the unusual cool weather of the day.

Mom, Zio James, and Zia Michela after exiting the Venezia train station.

First views of Venezia.

View of a canal on a Venezia bridge.

Venezia canal.

End of the road, start of the water.

Gondole in Venezia.

Venezia streets, canals, and bridges.

The second leg of the journey was much faster even with a similar distance covered, and we found our three-star hotel, Hotel Contiental, very quickly and as only one room was prepared, we were shown to it. Not only is the hotel star rated, but as a birthday gift to Mom, Zia Michela and Zio James gave two nights stay in a canal front room to Mom. The first room is very posh, with pale gold colours, fabric textured wallpaper, as as promised, two full length windows that open onto Canel Grande. It is a very fine view with Ponte degli Scalzi to the right, the canal, which fortunately only smells of brine at the moment, and a bridge free view to the left. We decided the first room would be Zio James and Zio Michela’s and after redistributing our sling-packs and leaving the backpack borrowed from Betta in their room, began walking the streets of Venezia shortly before three o’clock.

Hotel Contiental.

With three women essentially shopping, our eyes being caught by all the Murano glass on display, we travelled very slowly, probably incredibly slowly in Zio James view, to our destination of the Piazza San Marco. Our hotel is in the Cannaregio area and our wanderings took us through Castello and San Marco of course. Along Strada Nouva we inquired about the price of gondole rides to learn, as I had been forewarned by Zia Michela, the price is astronomical with the classic being €80.00 and a full ride €120.00. Way out of my price range so Mac and I will have just have to be satisfied with the €6.50 per person ferry rides. One thing I really would have enjoyed doing for Mac, although we are in Venezia at the wrong time, was experience the tour la Venezia nascosto di Sherlock Holmes, which I am certain would have had Mac kill me. I am only sorry I did not do, or know of really, Sherlock Holmes in Venezia itinerary from the books on my own to have my own "the Hidden Venice of Sherlock Holmes."

Venezia gondoles.

Our first purchase was our customary gelato cones; one of my flavours was dark chocolate and some flavour I have forgotten. The second purchase was by Mom of Leonardo t-shirts for Andrew. While Mom was purchasing from the vendor, I was required to hold her dark chocolate and mint cone and as it was melting, deal with it, which really makes me realise how much I dislike mint as an ice cream flavour.

There were lots of Murano glass, Venezia carnival masks, and murrino objects to be admires as well as glass sculptors. One odd sight was of one of Scrooge McDuck’s nephews in blue of Lego and I like the quill sets, either of Murano glass or feathers, and would really like as some point in my life a seal and wax set. The glass figurines are adorable, frogs, insects, the ants and flies are exquisite in their tininess, owls, gold fish in bowls and water drops falling from facets. I admired a collection of large felines and am only grateful that they only had a melanistic one and not a rosetted jaguar as I hate to consider what I may have paid if I had fallen in love.

Deuteronomy 'Dewey' Duck.

Goldfish in aquariums and drops of water.

Glass chess set.

Glass figurines.

Glass people and furniture sets.

The very first large sculpture I photographed was an over and under shotgun slightly smaller than life size with slightly thicker proportions which I am assuming is because of the glass used to create the pieces. In one of the shops following Zia Michela found a heart necklace and drop earrings that she wanted but Mom beat her to the till and after purchasing the set, gifted them to her. The next sculpture of glass photographed was of an eagle in the midst of striking. We finally reached Piazza San Marco filled with people and pigeons, and the Basilica di San Marco, which we did not queue for but proceeded along the basilica, Palazzo Ducale, to the waterfront of Canale di San Marco with its view of Chiesa di San Giorgio Maggiore on the Isola di S. Giorgio Maggiore. Walking along Riva degli Schiavoni we viewed the Ponte dei Sospiri, the Bridge of Sighs, that link the Palaxxo Ducale with the Polazzo delle Prigioni—the duke’s palace and prison—as executions were held in Piazza Sam Marco. While I photographed the bridge I am displeased that the walls framing it ware currently obscured by advertisement, one massive one, covering the restoration scaffolding.

Over and under shotgun.

Eagle.

Piazza San Marco with Zio James and Zia Michela.

Basilica di San Marco with scaffolding.

View of Chiesa di San Giorgio Maggiore on the Isola di S. Giorgio Maggiore.

Ponte dei Sospiri [Bridge of Sighs].

Taking a similar direction back to our hotel we stopped at Al Buso Ristorante for beverages, ice tea for myself, and a plate of fries. We had eaten lunch on the train; cutlet sandwiches supplied by Zia Michela, but were ready for a snack. The restaurant is at the foot of Ponte di Rialto, which we then crossed, for the shops on the bridge where Mom found a necklace and earring set for Amber (having found a set for herself earlier) and to locate our evening restaurant, which came from the Porsche website Zio James lurks at. At Al Buso he and I had an informative conversation about beer, and how he prefers the dark monk’s beer over the paler varieties, especially the tourist Heinekens, and rates the best beer making countries as Belgium, Germany, and Austria. We caught a ferry back to our hotel to rest up, having decided that tonight would be our special eat out and tomorrow night we would attend some opera singing over another concert we were told about. The ferry ride was enjoyable and very scenic and of course, briefer than walking.

Al Buso Ristorante.

View looking right from our Al Buso Ristorante table.

Ponte di Rialto to the right of Al Buso Ristorante.

Ponte di Rialto from ferry.

View from ferry on Canel Grande.

View from ferry on Canel Grande.

By our return, Hotel Continental had prepared our room, number 114, and while the first room was fine, the second is much larger and very posh. A king size bed, with chairs and table with a couch and a great bathroom. We rested up and began our evening walk to the restaurant with out reservations being at 2030, so a long rest and a bit of a tardy stroll as Zio Michela was in heels. Upon reaching Trattoria alla Madonna we were showing our seats in a rather busy and nosiy restaurant. I ordered, after reading the history of the inn-turned-restaurant, the caprese, which is tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, basil, and greens, which I found rather flavourless until I added some of Mom’s balsic vinegar. My meal was ravioli with tomato meat sauce, which did not taste much different than canned ravioli at home. It is not even worth comparing to Firenze’s ravioli, as it does not rate.

Mom in Hotel Continental Room 114.

Trattoria alla Madonna sign.

Strolling through the roads and over the bridges, we admired the city at night and spotted a stunning fresco on the ceiling of a room of a private house as Zia Michela mentioned there might be and to be on the look out. Homeowners in Italia are responsible for the historical upkeep of their homes, interior and exterior, which adds a layer of complication and expense to homeownership in the country.

Venezia at night from Ponte di Rialto.

And as I concluded this entry and before I forget to mention it, on one of the trains two backpacking young women walked past with Canadian flag patches on their packs. Conversation with them as they sat behind us revealed them to from New Brunswick.