By T W Coombs esq.
If you are not up with your Italian history then I am
writing about the oddest and most picture postcard city in the world,
Venice. With its waterways and
alleyways, it's weaving streets, the maze of its bridges and the majestic
stillness of a city with no cars. It is
a place like no other.
A last minute three night trip was booked with Grace and a
small group of friends and family to Venice, so off we went and to my knowledge
my first trip to Italy. And what a place
to start.
I fell in love instantly, the feel, the language, the food
and this is the most relaxed city I have ever been too, the most uptight people
are the tourists. Which there are many, thousands at any given time and area.
So if you're not into crowds not the best place to traverse. But if you veer slightly off St. Mark's
Square areas and high tourist parts then you can find a hidden gem or two, we
sure did. From cafes, bars and restaurants, they are on every corner and serve
Italian food for Italians. The more tourist places are a bit predictable with
menus, price and quality all being adequate, so will always
Putting food and drink aside, as in the world we live in we
know what we can get and where but the real beauty of this place isn't the
designer shops but the architecture. You may have heard it has been there a
while and so oddly for a city built on water and held up mostly by wood and
stone it is crumbling and falling down.
This is no means a slight on the city in anyway if it was brand new
everywhere then it would not have its majestic amazement. From the second we left the airport on a
water taxi you just know this place is different.
We were dropped off at our hotel on the jetty out the back
of the establishment and settled quickly into our room. I will admit our hotel was a little dated
with the interior of the rooms and dining area but in all it was clean and
served its purpose as a base. Not that I
wouldn’t stay again, the staff were nice and the breakfast catered for everyone
even though was a bit chaotic if everyone ventured in at the same time.
It didn’t take long for us too be hitting the streets and I had these grand ideas that everywhere we
went would be on a boat of some kind. I
went on two boats, both taxis and one from the airport and one back to the
airport and that was it, I used the trusty feet for the entire trip. Walking through the narrow alleys lined with
shops, food outlets, bars is just amazing and very easy to get lost but you are
never far away from where you need to be.
You may head down some creepy looking alleys but everywhere we ended up,
lost or otherwise I never felt worried.
Fair we were in a group but in Venice all the streets are dark and
narrow.
As this was our first time to Venice we had to do the
tourist bit, so we purchased a ticket to three museums and went wandering. The Musie Di Piazza San Marco was a nice
little walk around seeing some very old art and many globes (they did used to
love a globe it seemed). You also get
quick entrance to the Doge’s Palace, which is very impressive and moving from
the glamour of the government chambers to the cold and bare dungeons was a site
to see and a must. Sadly due to time
restraints I didn’t get into Saint Mark’s Basilica, but next time for certain,
as was still so much I would love to see as only once went down onto the grand
canal promenade and that was for some early dinner before a much needed sit
down at a Vivaldi concert close by, held within a room on the Doge’ Palace by
the way and when in Venice you have to check out some classical music.
Because of the tourists I did find one thing annoying the
rose and rubbish sellers. They try and
sell you cheap selfie sticks which I hate at the best of times, helicopters
that light up at night and then roses all the time. They even tried to sell me one whilst I was
standing chatting to my Father in law, no offence I like the guy but that is a
bit much. When I say no I mean no and
touch me once more and we have a floating rose seller. They are like a plague but if people didn’t
buy things from them then they wouldn’t exist but they do, so there you
go. I think the Doge’s would be happy
with the way their city has panned out, it may not be the hub of Europe like
the port it once was but it certainly draws the admiring crowds.
I really have fallen for Italy through this city and can’t
wait to head back for a slightly more relaxing weekend. And venture further
into the depths before heading to other great places.
If you are going please remember one thing, there is a hotel
tax that I was not aware of that you pay when you leave so it is not within
your room price. It is also worked out
very strangely, 1 Euro for each star of your hotel per person, per night, up to
a maximum of 5 consecutive nights.
Thanks for taking the time to read, see you soon.
