We finally arrived into Venice around 11.20pm that same night. It was a long trip from Assisi and the train was hardly the Orient Express so we were both glad to say goodbye to that one. (After that stunning first class train ride from London to Paris it will be hard to travel on a regular train ever again!) We had to catch a vaporetto (a water bus) from the train station to our accommodation but of course the vaporetta only took us half way and it was 50 minutes before the next one came, and it was freezing! We found shelter in a small restaurant and ordered a hot drink although we were told we could not stay long as were only ordering a drink (I don’t see the problem, it’s not like they were beating back the customers at that hour and I would figure better to get 10 Euros from us than 0 Euros from an empty chair but perhaps that is why I am not in business). I was very impressed though that finally here was a place that knew what a hot chocolate was! I had tried in other places to order this apparently exotic drink as all I ended up with was a flat white. This hot chocolate though was one of those really think hot chocolates, like the Spanish ones you can get at San Churros (a choc place like Max Brenners).
So we drank our drink and got back on our way, by the time we found our accommodation though and actually got to bed it was after 1am so it was a well deserved sleep. We were booked to stay in a religious house but it is right across the way from a hotel that looks after the accommodation at the religious house and since that was full they put us up in the hotel which was very nice, it had damask walls! (I didn’t know what a damask wall was until I got there but I quite like them, basically it’s like a fabric padded wall paper…very regal!
Venice is a place that sells truly different things. From handmade paper and glass products to handmade masks and baroque style lamps and cushions, there are some very beautiful items available. In fact if you want to decorate your house in style, I would advise you to get a ticket to Venice! Around every corner and up every little alley way is another store selling something original and just a hint, never think that the store you are in will be the last one to sell that particular item!) I did meet one particularly lovely lady who was helping us in one of the stationary shops we went into, but the problem with meeting someone in Venice is that there is little point asking them out for coffee as you’ll be 14000kms away when it comes time for a second date! So we paid for our items and left the girl from Venice in Venice.
Of course the other reason people come to Venice is to experience the romance if the canals and gondolas. The little canals are particularly photogenic but we decided against forking out for a gondola ride, Fr Richard had been on one before and my life would go on without one. Actually, it just occurred to me! I should have asked stationary shop girl on a gondola ride! Oh well, I’m typing this on the train and we are moving fast towards Rome…next time I’m in Venice!
Shopping, canals, gondolas and of course St Marks square, so named for the Byzantine styled St Mark’s Cathedral. The cathedral from the outside is attractive but the inside is a bit dark and in need of a clean but it certainly was worth dropping by to admire the mosaics and pay a visit to the Lord.
I think I’m going to end this one here, I have a headache and I might try and close my eyes before we get back to Rome.
Until next time.
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