Italia Day 26 & 27 - Venezia

I would have loved to stay longer in Firenze, but I had already booked my accommodation in Venezia, so sadly had to say goodbye on Saturday. I shouldn't have bothered. When I turned up to my hostel (and after waiting 2hrs for the owner to arrive - he wouldn't answer his phone), I was told at 7pm that he had overbooked & I needed to go to a different hostel across the city for the night. Despite me having booked the bed 7 days before, he decided just to wait until I turned up to tell me. After trying to argue with him & also trying to find somewhere else to stay for my 4 nights, I eventually had no choice but to find the other hostel. I got there just before dark, and luckily they had a spare bed (because even though the owner of the first hostel had assured me that he had made a reservation for me, he hadn't).

Anyway, it all turned out OK & at least I didn't have to sleep in the park. I got up early the next day for my run - this is the view from the hostel terrace.

The first thing I came across was this impressive church.

Obviously I had seen the canals the day before on my trek from train station - hostel 1 - hostel 2, but I was so irritable after the crappy treatment by the owner that I didn't even get my camera out. I'm glad in a way - the canals of Venice are a much nicer place at dawn, before the crowds come out to play.

The grand canal at dawn, with patterns in the sky provided free of charge by the nearby airport.

Cafe on the grand canal waiting to serve its first customer.

Here comes the sun :-)

S had told me about this cool statue at the point.

It was a great spot to capture the sunrise - evidenced by the half-dozen other photographers set up along the waterfront.

This guy was near the boy with the frog.

All quiet on the grand canal.

It's a pretty picturesque city, as I'm sure you can imagine.

The Ponte dell'Accademia, one of only 4 bridges that cross the Grand Canal.

Burning sun.

Piazza San Marco, eerily empty.

The cafe chairs set up, ready to accommodate the thousands of tourists.

Basilica Cattedrale Patriarcale di San Marco, partly covered with scaffolding.

Ponte di Rialto - the second of the bridges I crossed that morning that span the Grand Canal.

How's the serenity?

After checking out of the second hostel and going back to the first (and waiting another 30min for the owner to turn up - so dodgy), I finally got to get out & explore Venice. First stop was Palazzo Grassi - a modern art gallery that I had gotten a free ticket for from a lovely girl at the hostel.

I think I was allowed to take photos inside, but I didn't. Here is one sculpture on the outside of the building - he faces the Grand Canal.

Proof that Venice isn't all canals - it has streets too!

But the canals are much more photogenic...

Spotted this sculpture in a small arcade on my wanderings. There was no sign on it, but I think that's Ronald McDonald's head.

Even during the day it's possible to find some serenity on the canals by veering off the main tourist streets.

These gondalas had just dropped off some people for lunch in the restaurant. I would love to have a ride, but the prices start at about 80euro for 30min - way way way out of my price range.

In the afternoon I found myself back in Piazza San Marco - not so empty this time.

One of the cafes has a permanent mini-orchestra set up.

Palazzo Ducale - I got back for a look inside the next day.

Library porn - the Biblioteca Pedagogica "Lorenzo Bettini". It has separate rooms for 0-3 years, 3-6, 6-11, 11-14 & adults. Cool idea.

Driveway, Venice style.

Liked the colour of this building.

Peak hour on the Grand Canal.

View of the apparently controversial Ponte della Costituzione - a new steel & glass structure at the opening of the Grand Canal.

At the end of day one I had walked almost every district in Venice. I like it here, but the sheer number of tourists and souvenir shops mean that the city isn't really doing it for me.