Left the beautiful city of Venice this morning on a train for Rome. Went to the wrong station!! But no worries - I am always ridiculously early. The train ride was long (over 3 hours) and not very comfortable but the view - at least most of it - was worth it.
After being in Venice, the first glimpse of Rome is not very impressive. Dirty and busy - crowded with graffitti everywhere. The weather is cool here also which is fantastic.
Staying at the Gran Hotel Palatino and the area is quite nice. The hotel is fabulous. We got here a little after 1:30 pm, slept until 5:30 and spent a few hours at an outside cafe just watching life go by.
New smells, new sounds, new feelings. Totally different ambiance from Venice but not in a bad way. Tomorrow we start our tours and I can't wait to see what makes Rome "Rome".
Saturday, September 12, 2015
Friday, September 11, 2015
Day Four - Our last night in Venice
We ended our visit to Venice with a beautiful gondola ride. A wonderful gondolero spoke to us and lamented the Venice of today. He told me - as others have- that in 20 years there will be no venetians left in Venice and the entire City will be nothing more than an "amusement park for tourists".
It saddens me tremendously to see Venice through the eyes of its residents. Fiercely loyal venetians who, quite frankly, resent what has become of this great City.
Tomorrow morning we leave for Rome. I take with me beautiful memories and a tremendous respect for the Venetians.
Thursday, September 10, 2015
Day Three: Venice
Every day there seems to be something new to see in this wonderful City. We slept in late today. Stayed in bed until 2:00 pm!!!! Our internal clocks are all screwy but it seems like this City doesn't even start to get sleepy until midnight.
Inquiring minds want to know:
1. How do people in wheel chairs get around Venice? I have yet to see one ramp. There are numerous little bridges connecting the streets over the canals but no way for anyone in a wheelchair to navigate them. I've only seen one wheelchair and it was nowhere near a bridge so I really don't know.
2. I have seen only one cat in all of Venice. Do they not have cats or do they use them to filli n their wonderful raviolis?
3. So many beautiful dogs - all on leashes - all with their parents picking up after them on the street. Don't they have any homeless doges here?
Tonight I had a fabulous drink called sgropino. Oh my god!!! This thing is amazing! It's sparkling white wine, lemon ice cream and vodka. It is probably the best thing I have ever drank.
People watching takes on a whole new dimension in a City like this. The languages, the styles, the clothes, the shoes, the attitudes..... It's like the United Nations on St. Mark square. I wish I could sketch. I would be doing so much of it here.
Working on my journal - so many things to include and write about. Tomorrow is our last full day in Venice. We are going to Rome on Saturday. Tomorrow I will walk the sreets of Venice and breath it all in to keep in my heart until I come back.
Inquiring minds want to know:
1. How do people in wheel chairs get around Venice? I have yet to see one ramp. There are numerous little bridges connecting the streets over the canals but no way for anyone in a wheelchair to navigate them. I've only seen one wheelchair and it was nowhere near a bridge so I really don't know.
2. I have seen only one cat in all of Venice. Do they not have cats or do they use them to filli n their wonderful raviolis?
3. So many beautiful dogs - all on leashes - all with their parents picking up after them on the street. Don't they have any homeless doges here?
Tonight I had a fabulous drink called sgropino. Oh my god!!! This thing is amazing! It's sparkling white wine, lemon ice cream and vodka. It is probably the best thing I have ever drank.
People watching takes on a whole new dimension in a City like this. The languages, the styles, the clothes, the shoes, the attitudes..... It's like the United Nations on St. Mark square. I wish I could sketch. I would be doing so much of it here.
Working on my journal - so many things to include and write about. Tomorrow is our last full day in Venice. We are going to Rome on Saturday. Tomorrow I will walk the sreets of Venice and breath it all in to keep in my heart until I come back.
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Day Two: Venice
My inner clock still thinks it is in Key Largo - throwing me for a loop. Woke up early today - wanted to see the sunrise but missesd it by a few minutes. I got to see Venice waking up. The majority of the shops were still closed but some were open with wonderful cafe latte, lots of local Venezians talking and the smell of fresh bread everywhere you go.
It was 57 degrees. You could smell the canals but it is not an unpleasant smell. Quite the contrary. It was spicy and cold. The Gondoleros were not present yet; the gondolas parked and covered waiting to be boarded and become part of the experience of so many people who come to Venice - the City of Romance - to ride the gondolas.
I went for a walk and was met with so many "good mornings" (bon journo) that I felt like part of the City. I was smiling as I walked marveling at the fact that I am here.
I guess I should take a Venetian mask home. They are sort of creepy but so iconic to Venice. So many to choose from. Maybe I need to extend my stay so I can make up my mind.
I stopped at a shop that sells beautiful pens and had a long and interesting conversation with the shop keeper. A man about my age - maybe a little younger. He was born and brought up in Venice. When I complimented him on his beautiful City he tells me that it is in fact beautiful but that it is very hard to live here. He tells me that before the second world war there were over 200,000 Venetians living in Venice. Now there are less than 20,000. He says they have lost their identity and their traditions - their way of life. He explained to me how Venice's entire lifestyle has been lost. That it has become a "Disney Land" intended for tourists, not Venetians. He didn't say this in a bad way - quite the contrary - he seemed sad. He went on to tell me how every other City in Italy has a "tourist area" - Rome, Livorgno, Tuscany.. - but that Venice is totally a tourist area. There are no amenities for those that live here. There are very few schools, doctors. Education has suffered at the hands of tourism as has the family in general. I have been thinking about this all day and have seen Venice today through those glasses and I understand what he told me.
Selfishly we come here, we fall in love with this beautiful City and we want to come back. Those that are born here must leave. It is too hard to live here. So sad.
It was 57 degrees. You could smell the canals but it is not an unpleasant smell. Quite the contrary. It was spicy and cold. The Gondoleros were not present yet; the gondolas parked and covered waiting to be boarded and become part of the experience of so many people who come to Venice - the City of Romance - to ride the gondolas.
I went for a walk and was met with so many "good mornings" (bon journo) that I felt like part of the City. I was smiling as I walked marveling at the fact that I am here.
I guess I should take a Venetian mask home. They are sort of creepy but so iconic to Venice. So many to choose from. Maybe I need to extend my stay so I can make up my mind.
I stopped at a shop that sells beautiful pens and had a long and interesting conversation with the shop keeper. A man about my age - maybe a little younger. He was born and brought up in Venice. When I complimented him on his beautiful City he tells me that it is in fact beautiful but that it is very hard to live here. He tells me that before the second world war there were over 200,000 Venetians living in Venice. Now there are less than 20,000. He says they have lost their identity and their traditions - their way of life. He explained to me how Venice's entire lifestyle has been lost. That it has become a "Disney Land" intended for tourists, not Venetians. He didn't say this in a bad way - quite the contrary - he seemed sad. He went on to tell me how every other City in Italy has a "tourist area" - Rome, Livorgno, Tuscany.. - but that Venice is totally a tourist area. There are no amenities for those that live here. There are very few schools, doctors. Education has suffered at the hands of tourism as has the family in general. I have been thinking about this all day and have seen Venice today through those glasses and I understand what he told me.
Selfishly we come here, we fall in love with this beautiful City and we want to come back. Those that are born here must leave. It is too hard to live here. So sad.
Tuesday, September 8, 2015
Day One - Venice
The flight over to Venice is long and exhausting. Boring. Sleepless. But oh the excitement of knowing I will be landing in Venice!!!
You land in Venice and it's all amazingly simple. You get your luggage, you pick up your City Pass, you get on Bus No. 5 to the waterbus (No. 2) and you get off at Rialto. Lugging luggage is exasperating. I hate it. But oh the sounds and smells of Venice. Just as I always imagined it would be. We walk these beautiful historic streets and finally find our apartment. The apartment is gorgeous.
A nap. Definitely need a nap. Get up and run out the door - well, not really, but that is what I WANT to do!! I can''t wait to get outside and see and experience Venice.
The cacophony of voices, of so many different languages. The streets of Venice are crowded with people from all over the world. The Venetians are definitely outnumbered but happy. They clearly live from the tourism industry.
Gondolas! So beautiful. So VENICE!! The italian GONDEOLERO singing beautiful songs for probably an obscene cost. The tourists kissing and taking selfies of themselves in this most iconic of tourist traps. Everyone happy and smiling. Why not?? They are in Venice and many of them, I am sure, are like me, in a country they have always dreamed of visiting.
Everything is absurdly expensive but oh so exciting! Wine? Sure,, why not?! Then the bill comes..... WTF? Yep, you are definitely in Venice. Have to try the pizza - excellent. The wine? Not so much.
St. Marcos Square - I'm HERE!! Wow, it is exactly what I thought it would be. Hundreds and hundreds of people talking and laughing, dancing and taking selfies. Go ahead, have a private conversation, chances are nobody near you speaks your language any way. The flower "pushers" putting flowers in the hands of the women and then chasing them for money - Oh? You thought the rose was free? NOT! Young children running in the square chasing each other while the bands compete to play fabulous music and the waiters entice you to pay what amounts to your mortgage payment for wine you don't really want. But hey! You are in Venice right? So drink wine my friends!!! As long as your credit card works - drink and be merry!!!
You land in Venice and it's all amazingly simple. You get your luggage, you pick up your City Pass, you get on Bus No. 5 to the waterbus (No. 2) and you get off at Rialto. Lugging luggage is exasperating. I hate it. But oh the sounds and smells of Venice. Just as I always imagined it would be. We walk these beautiful historic streets and finally find our apartment. The apartment is gorgeous.
A nap. Definitely need a nap. Get up and run out the door - well, not really, but that is what I WANT to do!! I can''t wait to get outside and see and experience Venice.
The cacophony of voices, of so many different languages. The streets of Venice are crowded with people from all over the world. The Venetians are definitely outnumbered but happy. They clearly live from the tourism industry.
Gondolas! So beautiful. So VENICE!! The italian GONDEOLERO singing beautiful songs for probably an obscene cost. The tourists kissing and taking selfies of themselves in this most iconic of tourist traps. Everyone happy and smiling. Why not?? They are in Venice and many of them, I am sure, are like me, in a country they have always dreamed of visiting.
Everything is absurdly expensive but oh so exciting! Wine? Sure,, why not?! Then the bill comes..... WTF? Yep, you are definitely in Venice. Have to try the pizza - excellent. The wine? Not so much.
St. Marcos Square - I'm HERE!! Wow, it is exactly what I thought it would be. Hundreds and hundreds of people talking and laughing, dancing and taking selfies. Go ahead, have a private conversation, chances are nobody near you speaks your language any way. The flower "pushers" putting flowers in the hands of the women and then chasing them for money - Oh? You thought the rose was free? NOT! Young children running in the square chasing each other while the bands compete to play fabulous music and the waiters entice you to pay what amounts to your mortgage payment for wine you don't really want. But hey! You are in Venice right? So drink wine my friends!!! As long as your credit card works - drink and be merry!!!
Thursday, September 3, 2015
Should be so excited.
I should be so excited today. My trip to Europe starts on Monday. But sadly I will have to put my baby Lili down today. It breaks my heart. She was born in my house and is 16 years old. But she is clearly suffering now. Not eating. Very weak. I have to let her go.
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