A Venice Morning

Since I did not go out last night, I had a pretty restful sleep and we were out of Dei Mori in plenty of time to catch our train  to Venice. (Did you think we would not be given our history of early arrivals?). There is a large - very large family of four staying at the bed and breakfast now. We have gone through several guests and feel like the old residents. We bid them adieu and walked out into the quiet and empty streets of the city. It is Sunday and everything is closed. If you come to Italy, the holy day is a good one to arrive as you can get your bearings and settle in before the tours continue their endless assualt in your path.

We did find one place open so I could get a morning cappucino and then headed to the train station, which, unlike the rest of the city, was bustling with activity. My mother stood watching the crowd and looking at the changing arrival board until I told her she needed to look at the departure board. Our coach arrived from Rome and we boarded our first class seats. The internet was not working, so it was quite annoying, but I spent the two hours downloading and resizing the Pisa pictures. The Russian woman next to me was not pleased her husband was not able to sit with her, but that's what you get for not getting your ticket ahead of time. She spent some time complaining in Russian before she mercifully fell asleep.

In exactly two hours, the train pulled into Venice. When you exit the station, the view that greets you is something out of a fairy tale. Boats zipping by on the canal, water taxis and vaporetti lines bustling with tourists and locals alike all add to your initial reacion. My mom uttered that she could not believe she was looking at the city as I bought our tickets for the #1 water bus.

Years ago, in 2004, my friend David and I stayed at this hotel and I could swear I am in the same room. The last time, I got hopelessly lost trying to find it as the tiny and I mean tiny alley that you need to walk down is hardly visible. But this time, I found it without a problem and it led us directly to where we needed to go. The sun is stronger here and it is relentless in its heat.

"Everything is up so many stairs," my mother said as we climbed up to the lobby. "What is up with that?"

Our room is wonderful, though, and three times the size of the one we have in Florence. The bathroom is spacious, although with no shower curtain, it's going to get pretty wet. I've already warned Rosemarie about the tub and to get in carefully as it is quite high. The bidet look fun, maybe I'll go for a thrill ride before the day is done.

Skipping breakfast was not a good idea and I was so famished that I was ready to collaspe so we went directly outside and got some pizza. Did I mention that I am no fan of the food in Venice? Although the city is gorgeous, the food pales in comparison to the rest of Italy. Lacking oil or a crispy crust, the pizza slice we took away merely served to quiet my stomach pains and I even gave another shop down the path a try to see if it was any better. Alas, I am already missing the Florence menu.

It was an easy walk to Piazza San Marco and watching my mom's reaction to it was priceless. The pigeons are out en masse and I'm sure they're going to shit on my head. Good thing I brought my baseball cap. There's no escaping the sun's rays so we walked through the mass of flying rats to the edge of the water and marveled at the sheer beauty of this city.

There's not much time for museums or even the patience to wait in line for the church, but I did take her up the bell tower.

"I hate to ask," said the audio guide woman, "but your mother is older than 65?"

"Oh, God, yes," I said instantly, "I love that question, does she get in free?"

Alas, the lift to the top was not complimentary, but the audio tour was a few euros cheaper.

At the top, the pealing sound of the bell greeted us and nearly knocked out our hearing for the afternoon. We spent an hour looking at the layout of the city and listening to the tour before we rode back down to the piazza.

Along the way, we saw a bride and groom, of which the former was in need of some spanx. Her dress was by far, not smooth enough, not to mention she must have been dying of heat exhaustion. Sipping an iced cappucino in the shadow of the Rialto Bridge,  I took some stealth photos of good looking tourists, made a few calls back home and have decided to relax in the hotel for awhile. We have already walked 8 miles since we got here and my tired old feet need to rest.