Venice

Arriving in venice gave us a rude shock. Der was thinking we could pretty much take the taxi anywhere (from train stations to hotels etc) but there are no land taxis in venice, only water taxis.

This is one place where for 2 whole days, i didnt see a single vehicle and not even a bicycle travelling on the cobberstones ground. Everything was pretty much via water.

Arriving at 11.30pm at night is the other nightmare. Most of the waterbuses stopped operation (anyway, we didnt know which to take anyway cos the ticketing counters were closed) so we lugged our luggages and walked through the streets of venice.

And we didnt have a map. The newstands were all closed, so are all the information counters so there is no way we could have gotten a map. We took a picture of the water routes and used that to navigate ourselves around.

The thing is, our hotel is on the other side of the island and the cobberstones grounds just means one thing – pulling your lugguage along was hard, and carrying your lugguage over the hundreds of bridges to our hotel proves to be another feat. I was full of regrets as we navigate the dark dingy streets.

This was the map that we took a picture of. The train station was at the bottom of the map where that diamond square is and our hotel at the top of the map.

And so we walked. If you have been to venice, you’ll realise that most of their streets are small streets that are about 1.5m in length, full of corners and dead ends plus that they aint well lit and it almost seemed like you’ll be mugged anytime. We were totally wary of any strangers walking past us and we keep to asking directions from hotels or bars that were still open.

We were perspiring like mad, aching with pain from the luggages lugging and kept going in circles because we couldnt read the street names (or find them at all). It didnt help that we dont speak italian and a lot of the people whom we asked instructions couldnt speak proper english and we had a hard time understanding each other. We ended up navigating based on the unit numbers and i know i sound like a loser, but at some point.. I just wanted to squat down and cry. I was just so tired and scared that we’ll spend the night on the streets.

That, of cos didnt happen as we just kept going at it and we eventually found the hotel!! Thank goodness! We stayed in an ancient venetian townhouse and there are no lifts and our rooms were on the 2nd floor (more carrying of luggages!). We also felt a little cheated because we booked the hotel as it was sea facing but our rooms were a street away and all the view we could see was dark streets and roof tops.

When we finally got to the hotel room, it was 1.30am in the morning!! Both my hands wrre sore and blistering from the lugging and pulling of luggages and it didnt help that my birkies (newly bought in florence) gave me a big blister as well. The happiest thing was that we found out that there were free internet access when we got into the room!

When we woke the next morning, the first thing we did was to ask for directions and to get a map. We had to buy a map because hotel ran out of it but that was a small matter. The best part was… The hotelier was telling me… I cant tell you how to get to where you want to go. You could go left or right. Both works. You just have to navigate through the tiny streets, ask for directions and get lost. Its part of the fun. Venice is a labyrinth. Err. That doesnt sound quite promising after the previous night’s experience.

We also realised that we actually walked a huge round the night before when we could actually cut through the island. Well, who would have known without a map?! Still, guess it was experience of a lifetime.

Here’s our room number, and i forgot a picture of the room.

Our hotel sign for identification. Funny how that we are away from the hotel reception.

Many many of these in venice.

St paolo church.

Here’s the map showing the church. We were staying in the green area of the town.

That grand building beside, you wouldnt have guessed it, but its a hospital.

The finer details.

The interior of the church. We had to pay so we decided against entering.

Another shot of the side walls.

We had lunch in a restaurant facing this church.

Poor x.silly is being robbed and threatened to be on the dining plate by der.

Mama goes to his rescue.

Posted via LiveJournal app for iPhone.