Venice

Saturday Venice

Breakfast then walked to the station. Once we were on the train I tried messaging Mandy again. This time I got a response - actually all the messages she had been sending came all at once.  Had a good conversation and made up for lost time.  Arrived in Verona for lunch, and took the public bus to the arena.  No buses were using the numbers on the info boards, and we found out later that they all change their numbers at the weekends.  Verona is a lovely town with beautifully restored buildings and ruins.  New shops in the old edifices.  Went to see Juliet's balcony.  It was hard to wander, relax and enjoy with packs on our backs.  Eventually we caught the bus back to the station and took the train to Venice at nightfall.  Our Venice hotel room is in an adjacent property at the top of three flights of stairs -- we must have a cheap rate.  Shared facilities on the floor, but nobody to share it with.  Went out to tea in the self-service cafeteria which was modest in price, then wandered about the close by shops and lanes.  Bought Mandy a jumper at the red shop.  Doesn't appear to be any Skype at the internet cafe, so I dangled my feet over the canal and got Mandy to ring me on the free call SIM number -- let's hope it's really free.  To bed and an 11 hour sleep!

Sunday Venice

Didn't wake till 930 when the church bells awoke us.  Bought some milk, which was surprisingly difficult and ate some breakfast, did a week's laundry in the basin and strung it around the room.  By the time we had two beds, two packs, basin and washing in a tiny room, there was nowhere to move.  Walked through the narrow alleyways over the bridges following a giant snakelike procession of people strolling to St Marks Square.  It was cool but fine.  Very few tourists weren't couples arm in arm.  The piazza was surprisingly empty and there was certainly more pigeons than people.  Took in the view of the cathedral, bell tower, Doge's Palace, gondolas, Grand Canal and pigeons.  Good to eventually be here.  After looking around for a while we had pasta lunch in a small side alley.  It turned cold and started to rain.  We toured Basilica San Marco, walked down the canal then started walking back stopping all the Bridge of Sighs and Ponte Di Rialto on the way.  Checked e-mail briefly.  Some rest time then out to our regular cafeteria for tea, and later on an exchange of SMS messages with Mandy.

Monday Venice

Woken earlier today as the commercial city came back to life.  Lots more shops opened today, but most closed at 2 p.m..  After breakfast in our room, I spent the morning wandering back down to Piazza San Marco, looking in the now open shops.  Ashley spent the morning in the room listening to music and talking to Katie.  Lunch at the cafeteria then we walked that some way down the canal to take a gondola across the Grand Canal than a leisurely stroll through the less commercial areas of Venice back to the train station.  Lots of a really huge ornate churches.  I don't know how they possibly afforded to build them.  Generally the locals have been welcoming, but we are in a tourist area.  Italians smoke lots, but unlike Austrians are much more thoughtful.  Never in shops, restaurants, motels or trains.  Women are all very well presented even when casual.  Designer tight jeans and long boots are the norm and look great.  Not a big bum in sight.