Hello, as I mentioned I was to visit Venice for the Tintoretto exhibition at the Doge's Palace. I came back yesterday after two nights in Venice. Tintoretto is probably one of Venice's greatest painters (and businessmen based on the amount of work he got) - who lived in the 16th century. I caught buses and trains to get there - it's about a 3 1/2 trip. One the way there I took the longer train from Trieste which goes through Goriza and Udine. From Udine on the train was more packed than a Melbourne peak hour train and this was at 10 in the morning. It's when the riff-raff got on. A woman barged in front of me with her oversized suitcase, then proceeded to talk on the phone for the next 1 1/2 hours. At the same time, somebody decided to watch TV or videos and thought it important to share it with the carriage. Then the yapping dogs got on. I was glad when we got to Venezia Mestre (the industrial bit of Venice on the mainland) when most of them got off. When I arrived it was a bit misty and humid but the weather was better the next day. But there were heaps of tourists and heaps of boats bringing them to Venice. Most of the transportation around Venice is by foot or boat (taxi or ferry) - even the finance police have their own (very big) boat. While wandering around Venice I came across the usual person with the handle less plunger on his head. The following day he was without the plunger - not sure whether a tourist stole it as a souvenir. I also saw a shop selling chocolate lentils - looked like M&Ms to me.
The Doge's Palace, as the former Venetian Republic's seat of government, was stunning (that's the big rectangular building featured in many photos below). They certainly liked to decorate their buildings in those days. Inadvertently, I think I visited the palace free charge. While waiting for the exhibition to open I took a look around the palace. When I left the exhibition the attendant checked my ticket to see which entrance I was to use. Apparently, my ticket didn't allow access to the rest of the palace. Well there were no ticket checks except at the entrance. And talking about security - the bag checks at the entrance were hopeless. It was worse than the "checks" they undertake at Melbourne Victory games. It was a quiz rather than a bag search.
I caught one of the public transport ferries for the first time to go to San Giorgio island when I went there to go up to the top of the church bell tower (for spectacular views of Venice and another one based on the tower in St Marks Square in the centre of Venice). It was very expensive for a 10 minute ferry trip (10 euros). I suspect that locals have access to cheaper tickets.
The hotel I stayed at before but I think I got the cheap room this time. No breakfast included and the (private) bathroom located across the hall (but at least the room had a sink). Also I spent half the night chasing mosquitoes. I have never stayed at a place with so many mosquitoes. I didn't make the mistake of leaving the window open on the second night. I should have known better as when I came there were dead insects adorning the walls and ceiling. I really should stop getting sucked into the rooms that look like a good deal.
The trip back was less eventful. But there was the water addict who was downing her water in such a sustained way I was tempted to chant "scull". Then there was the old woman that kept patting her hair and looking around the bus (even when she was talking on the phone).
It's not the last time I will be visiting Venice as it's such a unique and pretty place and I have only probably seem a tenth of what there is - there are all the islands!
The Doge's Palace, as the former Venetian Republic's seat of government, was stunning (that's the big rectangular building featured in many photos below). They certainly liked to decorate their buildings in those days. Inadvertently, I think I visited the palace free charge. While waiting for the exhibition to open I took a look around the palace. When I left the exhibition the attendant checked my ticket to see which entrance I was to use. Apparently, my ticket didn't allow access to the rest of the palace. Well there were no ticket checks except at the entrance. And talking about security - the bag checks at the entrance were hopeless. It was worse than the "checks" they undertake at Melbourne Victory games. It was a quiz rather than a bag search.
I caught one of the public transport ferries for the first time to go to San Giorgio island when I went there to go up to the top of the church bell tower (for spectacular views of Venice and another one based on the tower in St Marks Square in the centre of Venice). It was very expensive for a 10 minute ferry trip (10 euros). I suspect that locals have access to cheaper tickets.
The hotel I stayed at before but I think I got the cheap room this time. No breakfast included and the (private) bathroom located across the hall (but at least the room had a sink). Also I spent half the night chasing mosquitoes. I have never stayed at a place with so many mosquitoes. I didn't make the mistake of leaving the window open on the second night. I should have known better as when I came there were dead insects adorning the walls and ceiling. I really should stop getting sucked into the rooms that look like a good deal.
The trip back was less eventful. But there was the water addict who was downing her water in such a sustained way I was tempted to chant "scull". Then there was the old woman that kept patting her hair and looking around the bus (even when she was talking on the phone).
It's not the last time I will be visiting Venice as it's such a unique and pretty place and I have only probably seem a tenth of what there is - there are all the islands!
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