Italia Day 30 - Arrivederci Venezia

I was leaving Venezia late in the afternoon of day 30, but had all day to wander around & see the bits I had missed.

This first building is a particularly beautiful example of one of the palaces. It's now an art gallery.

Final shot of the Grand Canal from the Ponte di Rialto.

My first stop was the Rialto Market. I couldn't get over how cheap the porcini mushrooms were - so expensive in Australia!

This spice display in a shopfront near the market caught my eye.

After the market, I battled the crowds around San Marco & made my along the Grand Canal to the Giardini. Here is the view looking back towards Venice.

This big ship was navigating out to the ocean.

Near Giardini was another cute canal.

Eventually I reached the edge of Giardini - and the edge of Venice. I sat in this park on the waterfront for ages, enjoying the quiet. There were lots of art students sitting in the garden sketching.

Also while I was sitting there, a girl wandered by, singing in perfect soprano, with her earphones in. I guess she was either a student or an opera singer practising her craft.

Italia Day 28 - Venezia

Wow - up to date again! Today started with an early run again - this time I aimed for the northern side of Venice to see the Laguna Veneta. Here is an intersection, Venetian style.

The part that I ran too was much more residential - here is some washing hanging out to dry - proof that real people do live here.

Another beautiful, quiet, canal.

Sunrise across the lagoon.

I headed off early & hopped on the Number 1 Vaporetto for San Marco. I could have walked, but what's a visit to Venice without getting on the water? Luckily I was able to nab a spot by the side so I could take some photos. Here is the central police station - these blue & white pylons are all over the city. I wonder what the fine is for parking your gondola in a police spot?

This made me smile - workman fixing a broken 'street' light.

Gondala parking.

Obviously it's been done the same way here for hundreds of years, but I still can't get used to the fact that EVERYTHING is done on water here - including wine delivery.

Heading under the Ponte di Rialto.

The wine men again - reached their destination.

Delicate manoeuvring of the gondalas.

One advantage of paying extra for a small boat trip would be the chance to explore the dozens of smaller canals that lead off the Grand Canal.

Heading past Palazzo Grassi, which I visited yesterday.

Coming up to Ponte dell'Academia - with the sun high in the sky.

DHL couriers doing their thing.

Shortly followed by the postman.

After 30min or so the boat dropped me at San Marco & I joined the already long queue to enter the Basilica. There were no photos allowed inside, but here is a peek of what it was like - this is an intricate golden mosaic. The ceilings inside the cathedral are covered with these - it's quite beautiful. Unfortunately, due to the number of people that visit, boardwalks have been installed to protect the mosaic floors & most areas of the church are roped off.

I hadn't actually planned on paying to visit the bell tower, but once I looked up I was itching to climb it. I had another particularly annoying tourist approach me at the bottom. She wanted to know how much entry cost and then complained about paying and asked me 'what will I see anyway?'. I just stared at her and said as politely as I could, 'Ummm... Venice'. What did she think she was going to see - Rome? Tourists! I wish I wasn't one of them...

Unfortunately it was elevator only to the top, but the views were still spectacular. This is looking down on Piazza San Marco.

Across to the Grand Canal.

The crowds below.

One of the bells. Looking at the state of the stairs, I can understand why people aren't allowed to climb the tower anymore. Still, it would have been nice...

Another view of the Grand Canal.

The top of the Basilica.

The tower's shadow on Venice below. What struck me the most was the fact that you can't see the canals from up there - from above Venice looks like any other city.

My proof shot. I was so intent on not dropping the camera I forgot to smile.

The tower & the Basilica - very different, but equally impressive, structures.

I packed a lot in to the morning. From the bell tower it was straight to Palazzo Ducale. The museum is a fascinating insight into Venetian history & the role the Doge's have played. Photos weren't allowed in any of the inside areas, but I managed to get a couple of shots outside. This is the internal courtyard.

This small slot was where anonymous accusations of crimes could be submitted.

View from the prisons out to the Grand Canal.

An impressive marble staircase, flanked by statues of Neptune & Mars.

I finished my morning with a visit to Museo Correr, mainly because entry was included in the ticket price to the Palazzo Ducale. It houses an impressive collection of renaissance paintings, sculptures and hundreds of artifacts from Venetian history. My highlight were the two libraries - they had books from 800AD on display, very special. No photos allowed again, so take my word for it - it's worth a visit. By this stage I was about ready to collapse and headed back to the hostel, where I am sitting now, typing this.

On the way I passed this canal filled with gondolas. All I could think was 'where gondolas go to die...'.

Tomorrow I plan on making a day trip to Padua, so stay tuned for more adventures in Veneto.

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.