Venice September 5

Venice, Italy

Wednesday, September 5

We finally landed around 10:30 a.m. Customs was a breeze. We were a little disappointed that the stamp in our passport was hard to see. Our first stop was to find a “bankomat” or ATM. We needed some Euros. The exchange rate was about $1.25 to 1 Euro. We bought tickets for the Vaparetto (water bus) for 15 Euro. This seemed like a better deal than if we had taken a water taxi, which is a private boat that takes you directly to your destination but charges a flat fee of 110 Euro. It was a five-minute walk to the dock. 

The Vaparetto works like a bus with different routes that take you to different parts of Venice. Looking at the map, we counted seven stops until the one near the hotel. The trip took about two hours, but it was pleasant to see so much along the way.

 

We left our luggage in a rack in the front and sat in the seats in the back. It did get kind of exciting when with two stops to go, we got to the St. Mark’s Square stop where most of the riders were exiting and realized that they were taking ALL of the luggage off the boat. It was a good thing we noticed. Crisis averted.

Arriving at the “Zattere” stop, we used the directions we had been sent and then walked two blocks to the hotel.

The first thing we noticed about the Belle Arti Hotel were the overstuffed couches on the covered patio, a great place for a snooze.
 

We were given keys with huge tasseled weights attached, which you left with the front desk when you went out.
 

Our rooms were one floor up, and as promised, there was a small two-person elevator. The rooms were small but a real hoot. There must have been a sale on gaudy deep red and gold brocade fabric because the beds and the walls were covered with it. 

There was a wardrobe but no shelves and a nice bathroom with a shower. The front desk controlled the air conditioning, and they were happy to adjust it for us. We were happy there was air conditioning. By now it was 2 p.m.

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We walked to the first place we could find food. It was an outdoor café next to the Accademia Bridge. 

We ordered two pizzas to share, one with Gorgonzola and bacon, and one with mushrooms and artichokes. We got a bottle of water to share; they don’t believe in tap water. I was forever thirsty. The food was really good.

Fortified, we headed off to explore the city. Around every corner were canals filled with gondolas and motorboats, old stone or wooden bridges that connected one street to the next, with beautiful but worn and deteriorating buildings. 

 It seemed unreal, fake, as if I were in Disney World visiting the “Venice” section of the park. Everything looked like a stage set.














Like a theme park, there were no cars, lots of tourists, people selling things on the street, and overpriced food and souvenirs. I had to keep reminding myself that people lived in the buildings we passed.

In Venice, all deliveries and services are only available by boat. For example, we saw a boat filled with kegs of beer, and another one filled with loads and loads of dirty hotel linens and towels heading to a laundry on the mainland. There were also fireboats, ambulance boats and garbage boats. Many homes and businesses are on a canal and have their own docking area, while others have things brought to them from boats by carts.

 Friends had told us to “try to get lost” as we walked around the city. The island is pretty small, and there are lots of alleys and small streets everywhere so you are never too lost. Besides eventually you will end up in a small square called a “Campo” or a big square like St. Mark’s called a “Piazza.” 

 

 


Along the way, we found a store that sold artist’s supplies including a cool display of dry pigment.

There was also a jewelry store with a carnival dress on display that caught Lou’s eye. She sweet-talked the woman who owned the store into letting her use the bathroom. She was led through a curtain into the woman’s living quarters where later you heard Lou shyly ask, “how do you flush the toilet.” It seems there were many things to be learned in Italy.





After a quick stop at a gelato stand for some Italian ice cream, we made our way to St. Mark’s Square. I had forgotten how large it was. It is “L” shaped with the long side surrounded by a museum and shops including three restaurants that have been in business continually since 1720. 










 

 On the corner of the “L” is St. Mark’s Basilica. The short side of the “L” is created by the Doge’s Palace and the clock tower with the far side open to the lagoon.

 The open area was filled with souvenir carts, pigeons, tourists, and “stupid tourists” who were letting pigeons land on their arms for a photo op. GROSS. 










Each of the restaurants offered outdoor seating and featured musicians performing classical music. We had a seat until we were told there was a 6 Euro fee per person just to listen to the music. Time to move on.  

As you may know, Valerie is hooked on Diet Coke, preferably 44 ounces from a soda fountain with ice and a lemon. I knew that was not going to happen in Italy. They don’t do fountain soda or ice in their drinks. I found a cooler with cans of “Coke Light.” I guess Italians don’t need to diet. It tasted like RC Cola, but it would do.

We walked back to the hotel. It seemed a really long way since we were so tired. To minimize jetlag, we had been advised to sleep on the plane, force ourselves to stay up all day and then go to bed in the evening. Well, we got back to the hotel at 8 p.m. and after watching some Italian TV, went to sleep. Wait a minute; I think I missed a meal in there somewhere. Oh well.