Jalan-jalan - Venice

I've been stalling and delaying this entry. Too much to tell (macam la org nak baca kan..) and yet I don’t know where to start. I don’t even know how to start. I wanted to do like everyday activities but it seems so common and 17 days means 17 entries? Hah!. Then I thought I might do it like places to places but I was in London then Venice then London again then Paris then back to London..sigh… so how?

Lets do Venice first. Don’t ask me why…I just feel like writing about Venice. and dont comment on the piccas, thats the best i can do about them. malas la...heheheh do click them to enlarge okey.

Three days (27-29 May 2008), will I be able to do Venice the justice she has earns over so many years?. I traveled with people I never travel with before, I can’t assume anything, I can’t aspect anything. Alhamdulillah, by the end of the 3^rd day, only few items form my personal itineraries were not been strikethrough. I think I did pretty well.

So, welcome to Venice!!

Piazzale Roma

This is where it all started. We bought the 72hours tourist ticket: E31.00, so the rides were unlimited, including to Lido, Murano and Burano Island!!. Pic were taken at airport, ACTV counter and line 51 to San Marco and Lido.

They said, forget maps!! Forget directions!! Just walk around, nose-up. Venice is a big labyrinth! We don’t even bother to look at our map. The yellow signs are everywhere, teaching us the road to main directions: San Marco, Rialto, Accademia and Piazzale Roma. And at any boat stop we can take a vaporetto to anywhere.

The Hotel : Buon Pesce Lido di Venezia

Thanks to venere.com, I found this affordable hotel at Lido Island. Why Lido? Hahh cheaper hotel of course and people been writing about get-to-know-the-locals at Lido. So, why not kan?

Email from the hotel manager:

Dear Mrs. Setam,

Your reservation made through Venere.Com on May 27, 2008 for two nights 1 triple room is confirmed.

From the Treviso Airport take a bus that goes to Venice Piazza le Roma. Then from there, take a boat line 51 that goes to Lido. It will take you for 35 minutes. Once you are in Lido. Take a bus A or B that goes to the hotel and it will take you 5 minutes. The last stop is right in front of the hotel. Thank you very much. Have a good trip and welcome to our hotel.

Best Regards,

Rudy

HOTEL BUON PESCE***

Riviera S. Nicolò, 50 - 30126 Venezia Lido (VE).Tel. +39-041-5268599 - Fax +39-041-5260533 email: info@hotelbuonpesce.com www.hotelbuonpesce.com

Piazza San Marco

This place is just GREAT - surrounded by canals and grand buildings, filled with people, pigeons and music! I love this place especially at night. With the lit up basilica in the darkness, the sound of violins from the open-air orchestras and less pigeons. Such a unique, relaxing and romantic kalau Chenta ada way to end the Venetian evening.

St Mark's Basilica

This gleaming Byzantine architecture dominates Piazza San Marco. I permitted myself to admire everything about this building although I am very much aware that huge parts and pieces of this building samada bought, taken or stolen from ancient buildings from all over the world. Mana tak nya, inside, the 1^st thing I saw are gilded mosaics that cover the walls and ceilings. Ternganga akak.

Palazzo Ducale di Venezia

We were here early so the q was not that long. Unfortunately the English tours were all fully book till end of June. We end up buying the normal ticket at only €16. Ropanya we didn’t really missing that much as we managed to cover most of the itineraries in that tour. Jimat huh?.

look at the golden ceilings!!

Once we were out, I was surprised to see the crowds queuing outside. Ramainya!. Imagine how big this palace is as it can swallow up such a huge amount of tourists. I love this palace, easily a couple of hours of relaxed wandering.

Gondola

Chenta pesan : Its not like you’re going to Venice everyday. So go ahead with the Gondola!. It cost us a bomb for the 40-45 minutes ride but the experience was priceless. I purposely ask the gondolier to take us to small canal and saw those old doors and rusty gates below the grand building. At last, my dream to see Venice from the perspective from which she was built to be seen, now materialized. I I’m more than happy.

However.... *SPOILER ALERT*….a tiny sport in my heart kept shouting…that was just like the Traghetto ride only longer….that was just like naik sampan my cousin kat kampong only the boat is well-decorated…that was damn expensive!!!. The water: its dark, not a single sampah sarap floating which is good but not good enough for me to dip my fingers in. The smell of the water, emm not that busuk yg sampai torture my nose but not that pleasant yg sampai nak sedut2 udaranya gitu. Okey la..at least we got Abg Gondolier yg agak handsome, witty and funny, and he sang all those lagu jiwang. So, nak naik gondola carilah Gondolier yang kacak kawan-kawan!. He told us few of Venice’s big secret: the water is so dirty contaminated that once the pigeon touch the water, she wont survived long. And because of the many kolong2 under the building (untuk air pasang surut) Venice is actually swarming with rats!. Rats as big as a cat!. I believed him.

Accademia - The Bridge and The Gallery

This high arched wooden structure gives you the best spots to view iconic Venetian scene of boats of all sizes plying the Grand Canal. Also the best spot to duduk-kejap. Penat you. The Accademia gallery is just steps away from the bridge. If you are into arts, this is a must!

Rialto

The bridge is much bigger than I expected. On the top of the bridge there are two rows of souvenirs shops. This is also a fav spot to a great view of the Grand Canal. The market, one word to describe it – crowded. But I love it!. I didn’t go to the fish market (nyesal..nyesal..) but seeing their fruits and pastas and vegetables enough to make me drooled over everything. i love pasar!!!!

Lido Island

Staying at Lido was great, giving us the different Venice: beauty, quiet and peaceful. Despite the tiredness I woke up very early everyday, around 5++. Our free breakfast started at 7:30am so I had ample time to wander and appreciate Lido on my own. Pictures below were taken around 5:30am to 7:00am in the morning sebab tu mcm tak de orang je kan. Venetian still tido!

On the first day I just wander around the hotel.

Breathing Lido’s air

On the 2^nd day I rent a gerek, hoping to get the one with cute basket at the front but I got mountain bike instead. Pics taken using self-timer sbb akak was cycling alone! Hahahaha….. SIL was against the idea but she was too tired to join, so as Topek. knowing me….akak redah jek! I was cycling happily… got warm hello and morning from few locals I met, yg tgh nak bukak kedai, yg walking with their dog, yang jogging, yang fishing, nampak sgt akak tourist kan…hahahahha. Happy sangat!

Daku bergerek di Lido….woohooooo. and few stops before the beach.

Burano Island

We took boat #14 from Lido. There is only one stop here if I’m not mistaken so tak de la kami terjenguk2 stop apa kan. From afar I can see the riot of colors of the buildings. Burano is particularly known for that and its lacework. I learnt that the colours of the houses follow a specific system originating from the golden age of its development; if someone wishes to paint their home, one must send a request to the government, who will respond by making notice of the certain colours permitted for that lot. Also, there are no gardens, only some small green space is found at the side-line of the island closed to the boat stop. It is a small island afterall. Here, I walked aimlessly trusting I wouldn’t get lost, and I didn’t. And oh, I didn’t buy any lace product here, they are very beautiful but….but….expensive! (to me al..)

Oh we arrived late and the lace museum is closed already. So we wander around the square and suddenly the bell of The San Martino's Campanile (tower) bunyi. Berdengung telinga akak.

Murano Island

I didn’t know that Murano glass are so famous, resulted the Island being the most visited Venetian Island. Because of my lack of knowledge I’m not into glass accessories or glass homewares so much, so I didn’t bother to buy anything here. Regret it. They are rather expensive but I still regret it. I should have buy the small colorful bracelet or the cute tissue box or the pen holder or the Ferrari Horse or…regret..regret…

From Lido we took the water bus #52 to Fondamenta Nuove, changed to #13 and get off the boat at the Colonna stop. Few steps to the left is where the glass factory and to the right is the way to the great glass shops.

Others

I believe that Venetians are born to walk till they old enough not to and their legs are super duper strong, until I got a glimpse at this old lady. Well, they are normal after all. My lucky day huh?

-akibat suka sangat tgk kasut org..heheheh

And Italian memang handsome. Ini adalah Abang yang tukang tarik tali boat.

Venice is what you make it. It can be expensive and crowded if you stick to the guidebook. Venture away. The easiest way to got to Rialto from San Marco is by boat, only few stops over, but I made my point clear that we will walk. So we walked, trying different routes and each time, we found a different side of the city that really leaves us to appreciate the beauty and colors. Sometimes we got lucky when the small campi leads to great discover of little pleasures: ice-cream and pizza!!. Hah! Talking about food, the prices are not as high as I expected. It’s certainly possible to eat cheaply in a back-street pizzeria. Just do the take away because if you plan to dine in, make sure you’re ready to pay more. You sit you pay.

The easiest way to find somewhere peaceful is to wander down an alley, or along a canal, that everyone else seems to be missing, simply getting lost. The boat services to Lido are up till 11:30 at night, so everyday we stayed late to just wander around Rialto - San Marco area. One time we were so lost we just walked and suddenly the small square open up. There were nicely dressed people dining peacefully outside the beautiful restaurant. The violinist seems lost in his own music. Kids running around. Ah, it was so beautiful!. We sat at one corner for a few minutes just to watch them.

Well, that is Venice my friend. The Venice that I got to know and to love for 3 days and 2 nights. It was the entire experience that can't be captured...I look at those photographs...I can see it; but do you feel it?

I love Venice. (who doesn’t?)