Anyhow, we arrived in Venice under sunny skies and proceeded to the gondola area beside the bus parking lot. I don’t care how touristy you think it is, but riding in a gondola is part of the Venetian experience and something you must do at least once in your lifetime. Anyhow, they were stashing 5 or 6 of us into each gondola. Our gondolier, who was a little too good looking and charming to be believed, navigated us through the labyrinth of canals that make up Venice. What struck me most about Venice was the muffled silence around me. There were no cars or scooters and not many motorized boats. All you hear is the swish of the gondolier poles and your boat as it cuts its way through the water. Looking up at the scenes above us was surreal. The large, open shuttered windows, the ivy colored walls, the large arched doorways, despite being rotted by the constant exposure to the canal, all contributed to a memorable experience. For me, it was the highlight of Venice.
After the gondola ride, Shona escorted us through some back laneways leading to St. Mark’s Square. As expected, Piazza San Marco was packed with people and pigeons. Moreover, the square was a little bit flooded because of the high tide. Shona then gave us a very brief overview of the square but I barely heard her as I was busy trying to feel and experience my dream.
St. Mark’s Square during daytime
Notably, Venice is a thriving tourist trap and you’re hit with it the moment you get off the gondola. There are shops, kiosks, restaurants and artisans in every conceivable nook and cranny. But if you can look past all that, you can see the beauty and character of this ancient city. Its charm will overwhelm you. The facades of the buildings looking down onto the lagoon and canals are beautiful in their stately yet weathered condition.
But before we could get started on our own, we were offered the opportunity to see a glass-blowing demonstration at a Venetian glass-blowing factory. We were led upstairs to a room where we watched one of the few remaining masters blow molten glass into a unique creation. It was actually pretty interesting overall, with him first creating a glass vase in about 2 minutes and then, amazingly, creating a glass horse of excellent detail in about 5 minutes. We were then led to the "hard sell" area where everything was written in Italian except prices. (haha) Since we weren’t interested in the glass, Ricky and I left to enjoy our free time by taking a walk to the Rialto Bridge. After fulfilling our obligatory gelato of tiramisu, we slowly made our way to the appointed place at the appointed time.
We met Shona in front of Doge’s Palace and we walked a short distance to the boat area. Along the way, we saw the Bridge of Sighs off to the left while crossing another bridge. If you must know, the Bridge of Sighs, from where Casanova made his daring escape, connects the Doge’s Palace to the prisons. We then all got loaded onto the boat and proceeded up the canal to our hotel, Hotel Bellini. We received our boat anchors/room keys and were told to meet at 7pm in the lobby for the included dinner. This turned out to be a very nice hotel even though it is very old. It was clean and well kept.
Ricky took a much-needed rest as his legs were killing him. So I ventured out onto the streets of Venice on my own. It was surreal! I can’t believe I was actually in Venice. I browsed through all the quaint little shops but somehow, I always ended up in a church everywhere I turned. So, since it was a Sunday and being a good Catholic, I finally gave up and attended mass. And then it was time to head back to the hotel for dinner.
After dinner, we boarded a motor launch to St. Mark’s Square to listen to the orchestra and have a drink. We had a Bellini, champagne with peach juice, at St. Mark’s Square – across from Doge’s Palace. A great jazz band was playing. And what a transformation! Piazza San Marco in the evening is magical! [I have to apologize for always using the word “magical”, but there is no other word to describe it.] It simply was – magical! All the tourists AND PIGEONS were gone, and we practically had the entire square to ourselves. I can’t believe I was at St. Mark’s Square, listening to the band with a drink in my hand, with the Doge’s Palace in the background. The ambience simply drenched me with magic and memories. No wonder Napoleon said that San Marco was Europe’s most elegant dining room. It was unreal! I was in 7th heaven!!!
St. Mark’s Square at nighttime (the difference is quite remarkable)
After listening to the orchestra for about 45 minutes (there were a few of them throughout the square), it was time to head back to the boats (and to reality) and back to our hotel. On the trip back, we passed some more absolutely unbelievable homes. Venice in its day must have really been the place to be.
Our day in Venice was over. It was way too fast and way too short. I’ll definitely be back because you can’t do the place justice in anything less than 3 days.
To recap, Venice is a feast of magnificent churches, lavish palazzi and stately bridges, all built upon a labyrinth of waterways and streets that are works of art in themselves. It is a place that has to be experienced at least once in your lifetime. You cannot say you’ve seen Europe without checking Venice off your list. For me, it is the best fabricated and authentic experience on the continent!
……to be continued
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