Finally, we managed to overcome our first obstacle and off we went on the 2.5 hours flight to Venice last Thursday evening.We reached Venice around 10.30pm. Checked into our hotel and to satisfy C who is a hardcore gambler, we made our way to the casino.
We started getting hungry halfway and sat down at one of the restaurant to have supper. We ordered seafood cicchetti which was in such small portion, and not only was it expensive, we were charged 1 euro each for using the cutlery, which is called coperto. C got the local beer which tasted not too bad, but I'm still not convinced that beer can taste nice.
Finally, we reached the Casino.
Can you believe that they allowed me to go in dressed like that and in slippers? I felt so out of place among all the gentlemen dressed in suits and ladies dressed in evening gowns. C managed to make 10 euro profit. So, that's the cost of her beer and coperto covered.
Next morning, we went to collect our Venice travel card and museum passes.
The main form of transportation is the vaporetto or water bus. As you can see, only in Venice can you get floating bus stations. Of course, if you're rich enough, you can go everywhere using the gondola.
Rialto bridge as seen from our vaporetto.
The Rialto bridge is unique in that it has 2 rows of shops on it and it used to be the economic heart of Venice where retail and wholesale took place.
The original Pinocchio! I feel like a kid again. If I want my nose to be sharper, should I tell more lies?
A picture paints a thousand words.St Marks Square
We went around St. Marks Square stopping at St. Mark's Basilica first.
From the outside, it looked really impressive. The insides was better, the walls and ceilings were covered with gold plated mosaic patterns. Too bad I couldn't take photo in there. Surprisingly, there were not many pigeons around.Doge Palace
A long time ago, this stone face was used to prove whether someone was telling the truth. The accused has to put his hand into the mouth and if lies were told, his fingers will be bitten off. I don't know why did I make that horrible looking face and don't tell me that I look similar to that stone face.
The Doge palace was the center of political power in Venice where the courts and parliments were held.The Bridge of Sigh
Best place to 'haih.......'. The reason behind the name is that this bridge connects the Doge Palace to the prisons. So, people who were convicted had to pass through this bridge while making their way to the cells.
The last glimpse of freedom...
The beds in the prison. I think I'll get backache from sleeping on them.
Prison Break! 2 convicts out of their cells! Wait, trying to get into the cells...hmmm.
I can't believe how commercialised the Bridge of Sigh has become. Its practically drowned in advertisement by Sisley.
Sisley advertisement started from ground up.
My takeaway wrapped sandwich with ham and mushrooms. It was delicious!
Some filming going on at St Marks Square. Don't know who was that but not too bad looking.
'Would you stop sighing?''How can I? So many people are watching and I can't make them go away. I bet they don't even know how famous we are.'
'You better make sure you can sigh like that for our next scene on that bridge.'
Famous postcard picture
Put my face in as evidence that I've been there.
No wonder the photographers charge so much for wedding photos in Venice but I think it's worth it.
Gondolas. Too bad I'm a poor student.
C's ancestor might have been a regular at Harry's Bar.Not only were the sceneries beautiful in Venice, the shopping there was good as well. I really liked the handicrafts there. How I wish I had enough luggage space and money to buy a really nice Venetian mask.
Handmade masks
Shoes made by the shoe fairy.
Music boxes
So elegant
More masksNext, we made our way to Murano island where the famous Murano glass is produced.
Our 45 minutes boat ride. No picture of the other 2 as they have seasickness.
I really wanted to get one of this glass fish but they were so expensive!
Amazed by the detail of the glass spiderweb.
Some random Murano glass display.
Imagine, a whole set of the orchestra made from glass. I would really love one of those.
Murano glass Christmas tree.Back to dry land. M and C were quite glad about that. Too bad we didnt' have time to visit Burano island due to the bad weather. It was starting to rain and we could hear the thunder.
Found my unicornDinner
Had spaghetti, a bowl of salad and Tiramisu. Delicious. I came across this bun filed with olives and another with spinach. Too bad I was too full to try them after dinner.
Next morning, we had breakfast at our hotel:
Recharged and really to explore more of Venice.
First things first, sending off my postcards.
Small, just nice......and the Giant.
Scala Contarini - just a spiral staircase in the middle of housings.
Photo with gondolas from head, body to tail.
Hardrock cafe is everywhere.
M practising her pose for Leaning tower of Pisa.
Pigeons, stop here.
We explored the older side of the town that morning.
The absence of gondolas do indicate that this was no longer the posh area.
Nice cafe by the canal.
As you can see, the scenery is totally different. We went to visit the Jewish ghetto which is basically an island surrounded by high walls and wires.
M in the air. Who was the photographer? Me of course.
They used to keep the Jews here and they had curfews where they had to return to this island after certain hours.
My house, I wish.
Santa Maria Basilica
It looked so beautiful from across.
Another shot with the gondola in position.
3 lost people. We wanted to walk toward Santa Maria Church, but ended up walking in the wrong direction for 1.5 hours under the hot sun.
Ended up at Venice's University of Architecture instead. I want to go on a holiday, not to uni again!
Finally, our vaporetto back to our hotel.On our way back using the vaporetto, we stopped by the 2nd supermarket we've seen in Venice to buy some packed lunch for our train ride to Verona.
The watermelon here was so tiny. Most probably due to the cost of transportation. Everything is more than half its normal size.Next post will be the trip to Verona, covered in 3 hours.
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