theFoords From aFar: La Bella Venezia

We came into Venice in the late afternoon. Our hotel was right on the Grand Canal, so we left the bus at the bus park (as far as it can go). We were supposed to then take our hand luggage and walk over 3 bridges to the hotel. The Venetian porters then take your luggage to the hotel and then the hotel porters take your luggage to your room. As we were getting tired, our Mumma organised for the gondoliers to meet us at the parking lot and then took us through the canals straight to our hotel. What a magical entrance to this city! We scored the “love seat” at the back too! It was just so beautiful and peaceful no wonder it is called La Serenissima — Most Serene City. We couldn’t believe that we were actually in Venice on a canal in a gondola!

Take a ride on a gondolier

Our hotel was very elaborate with glass chandeliers (Venice is famous for its glass) and small (as we had been warned) but what a location! After some relaxing time we then went out on a water taxi to cruise down The Grand Canal where on both sides, there were ageing palaces with elegant arches and columns in colours of brown, pink and white. Venice inherited its wealth from being a major trading town in the fifteenth century. The canals were busy with all kinds of boats and crazy Italian drivers.

Liane with some new friends

After tea at the hotel we walked along the paths that were busy with many other tourists having an evening stroll. It was very pretty with the lights reflecting on the water.

The next morning we visited the famous Murano glass showroom. Venice is famous for its Murano glass (made exclusively on the island of Murano). The technique is handed down through the generations. The glass blowing demonstration was excellent as was the hard sell afterwards. The glassware, vases and jewellery was all very beautiful. Rex had his eye on a lovely set of gold wine glasses with hand painted flowers and decanter which were on special for only 4000 Euro with a lovely glass tray and shipping to Australia thrown in for free!

One of the Glass factories.

We opted out of the next tour of the Doges palace and St. Mark’s Bascillica as we wanted to wander around and explore on our own. We shopped for gifts to bring back home and then went up the tallest building in Venice – the Campanile (bell tower from where we had a spectacular view of virtually every building but no canals!)

We were up the top right on midday just as the bell began to ring! YIKES!

We then wandered around the Piazza San Marco dodging pigeons and listening to a few of the bands.

Venice is terribly expensive- 10 Euro to have a coffee in the square! Eventually we actually found a tree and sat in the shade, eating gelato and watching all the tourists and souvenir vendors. We heard a familiar Aussie accent behind us and chatted to a couple who were from Sydney and doing there own thing through Europe.

We met Mumma back at the clock for our cruise over to the island of Burano. Venice is actually made up of over 100 islands and Burano is probably the prettiest. It is a fisherman’s island and the legend says that when the men were out fishing the women painted the houses bright colours so they would have a cheery welcome when they got home.

It is also famous for its lace which occupied the women in the lonely hours.

It was just so lovely with only a few tourists wandering around. You could have left us here for the rest of the week! We had a four course seafood lunch in a local restaurant with Rex enjoying the fuss made over him by the Italian waitress as he wasn’t too partial to having shellfish. The waitress flirted with the men in the group playing tricks with the cups of coffee. We were told to dip the local S shaped biscotti into the digestive (Amaretto – an almond flavoured liqueur). So that’s how you eat them without cracking your teeth!