Post by Kim on Dec 17, 2003 11:56:50 GMT -5
Hello all,
Arrived yesterday to the most glorious crystal clear blue sky and the city dressed in all it's Christmas finery.
I was somewhat curious to see if Venice of my memory could be surpassed by seeing it again. It has. Arrived via air this time and while stepping out of the train station for an 'OH WOW' moment is hard to beat, I took the hydrofoil from the airport and found it nearly as hard to not cheer out loud.
Crossing the lagoon and heading dead on to St. Mark's is a sight not to be missed. The crowds are few and the city is in a celebratory mood. My first time in Italy Venice was my first stop so having no comparison I did not realize that Venice is almost a world of it's own. Very different than the other cities, no cars being the least of the differences. Venice hides if you will. Behind the seeming decay lie shops and homes of such beauty. I found my B&B after a bit of searching...it is in the Castello part of town, as my host and his friends told me, part of the 'real' Venice. It is a purely residential area, no tourist shops, restaurants or hotels here, just Venetians going about their daily lives. It is right on a canal and I slept last night to the sounds of the boats going past my window. The stars! I never noticed them last trip, they are gorgeous here. There is little pollution here and they just glimmer and glow, it's beautiful! Again today, weather is crisp and clear, perfect for shooting up some rolls of film and I have been happily about the morning doing just that.
Have already had several cups of glorious cappacino...ah Italy! The coffee! For dinner last evening
had baked sea bass with the most wonderful lemony/buttery sauce, roasted potatos...heavenly. They have done much work on the bascillica since last I was here and it is stunning to see it now...they have cleaned the exterior and the marble..all the colors are so vivid, almost like a patchwork quilt, and the mosaics truly shine as they were intended to. Next I am off to the Rialto Bridge area to search out the market...the big one that the locals use. I found the fish market last time, but not this one. I am a woman on a mission!
I am rather enjoying the lack of feeling like I NEED to visit the palace, the museums, and such. I did that last time. This trip I am reveling in the pure joy of simply wandering the back streets and discovering the out of the way spots tourists often miss. There is no need to worry, impossible to get totally lost. You can't get off the island without knowing you are doing so, and all canals eventually lead back to the Grand Canal and from there...you can find your way home.
One final note....maybe it's the fact that I brought along a bit 'nicer' clothes than my traditional backpackers garb, but I do find people much more interactive and willing to talk. Or is it just that I am more comfortable and in love with the city? Who knows...but I've had several invites for dinner and coffee!
Best to you all.....
ging
Arrived yesterday to the most glorious crystal clear blue sky and the city dressed in all it's Christmas finery.
I was somewhat curious to see if Venice of my memory could be surpassed by seeing it again. It has. Arrived via air this time and while stepping out of the train station for an 'OH WOW' moment is hard to beat, I took the hydrofoil from the airport and found it nearly as hard to not cheer out loud.
Crossing the lagoon and heading dead on to St. Mark's is a sight not to be missed. The crowds are few and the city is in a celebratory mood. My first time in Italy Venice was my first stop so having no comparison I did not realize that Venice is almost a world of it's own. Very different than the other cities, no cars being the least of the differences. Venice hides if you will. Behind the seeming decay lie shops and homes of such beauty. I found my B&B after a bit of searching...it is in the Castello part of town, as my host and his friends told me, part of the 'real' Venice. It is a purely residential area, no tourist shops, restaurants or hotels here, just Venetians going about their daily lives. It is right on a canal and I slept last night to the sounds of the boats going past my window. The stars! I never noticed them last trip, they are gorgeous here. There is little pollution here and they just glimmer and glow, it's beautiful! Again today, weather is crisp and clear, perfect for shooting up some rolls of film and I have been happily about the morning doing just that.
Have already had several cups of glorious cappacino...ah Italy! The coffee! For dinner last evening
had baked sea bass with the most wonderful lemony/buttery sauce, roasted potatos...heavenly. They have done much work on the bascillica since last I was here and it is stunning to see it now...they have cleaned the exterior and the marble..all the colors are so vivid, almost like a patchwork quilt, and the mosaics truly shine as they were intended to. Next I am off to the Rialto Bridge area to search out the market...the big one that the locals use. I found the fish market last time, but not this one. I am a woman on a mission!
I am rather enjoying the lack of feeling like I NEED to visit the palace, the museums, and such. I did that last time. This trip I am reveling in the pure joy of simply wandering the back streets and discovering the out of the way spots tourists often miss. There is no need to worry, impossible to get totally lost. You can't get off the island without knowing you are doing so, and all canals eventually lead back to the Grand Canal and from there...you can find your way home.
One final note....maybe it's the fact that I brought along a bit 'nicer' clothes than my traditional backpackers garb, but I do find people much more interactive and willing to talk. Or is it just that I am more comfortable and in love with the city? Who knows...but I've had several invites for dinner and coffee!
Best to you all.....
ging