It's surprising how much you can grow to like a city in only 3 days. I'm saddened to leave Venezia, but I have heard much of the beauties of Cinque Terre that I must go see for myself. Now having become a water bus master, I easily boarded the boat with all my luggage and promptly arrived at the train station in 10 minutes. I secured a train ticket to Genova with a change in Milano for a total travel time of about 5 hours. I was guaranteed a seat on the first half of the trip, but not the second.
Not much to report. The train ride was uneventful for the first part. It was a Eurostar train, so nicer and newer cars with very few people on board. I read a good portion of Pride and Prejudice as the scenery was mostly towns and little else to see. We did pass a lovely portion near Densazen, I think that's what the train station sign said. It was hard to catch as we flew by it. The town was gorgeous. In the background were grey puffy clouds and strikingly cut jagged mountains with snow on top. Below all of this was rolling green ground and finally at the end the town with its bright buildings popping out of the ground in stark contrasts of red, peach and yellow surrounding some kind of water. It all looked like a puzzle box picture. Gone too quickly for me to dig out my camera.
All I saw of Milano was the train station which was extremely large with an occluded glass ceiling. I had 20 minutes before the next train left to Genova and I hoped to grab a seat and be one of the lucky ones to not have to give it up to a person with a reservation. I sat long enough to eat some granola and sure enough a lady came with a ticket for the seat I was in. Fortunately I was early enough to have plenty of room for all my luggage in one place. I ended up standing the whole 2 hours to Genova. I was glad I could stick near my bags and was able to lean up against a luggage rack enough to half sit on it so not all of my weight was on my feet.
From the Principe train station in Genova I had to take the lift and then bus 40 to the hostel. Turns out the lift is a box that rolls up the hillside and around the corner to a shaft where it rolls into a carrier that turns it into an elevator and takes you up through the mountainside. It was very cool. I've never seen anything like it. Right up there in the levels of odd excitement like the washing machine elevators that take you to the top of the St. Louis Arch. The bus 40 stop was conveniently right outside the lift exit--awesome! After a good 15 minute wait the bus did arrive and dropped me off right at the hostel as expected.
Genova doesn't have much to explore or write about from what I can tell. Still battling my cold for day 3 now, I decided to hang inside and do some investigating on the internet for the next portion of my trip. Dinner consisted of a boxed meal from the hostel of chicken, potatoes and marinara sauce. Surprisingly it was quite filling. The bed is much softer than the one in Venice so I'm hoping for a good night's sleep to fight this cold.
Showing posts with label Venezia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Venezia. Show all posts
Friday, April 2, 2010
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Streets of Water
Not wanting to fool around with the 1km walk to the bus 25 stop, I opted for the bus 68 stop in front of the campground. I'm glad I switched to bus 25 which dropped me off right at the train station. I've been so tired lately that I'm trying to take it easy. The train ride was easy and straight forward as usual. I was a bit surpised how many people were on it though. This is the first time I've had people all around me in each of the other 3 seats. I would talk about the scenery, but I trance/slept through most of the trip. What I did notice was the rain just outside of Venezia. It's been so sunny lately I guess it had to rain sometime.
My next goal was to decide about which Venice Card to get. Include the transportation or not? For E66 and a 3 day pass I decided to go for everything: museum pass, church pass, public toilet pass and transportation pass. It was a bit hefty, but one trip on the water bus (vaporetto) is E6.50 and unless you want to walk an extra mile to cross one of the handful of bridges on the Grand Canal, you need to take the vaporetto. It's a fun ride too. Reminds me of all the fun times my family spent on our boat in the summers on Lake Erie. These drivers know just how to whip around the boat to dock without jostling the passengers. The directions to the B&B where I'm staying were pretty straight forward. Take line 1 to Rialto Mercato and walk about 150m. This has to be the easiest place I've booked so far in the last month! Plus it's really nice like a B&B should be. I feel so posh staying here.
Since I got in around 3:30pm I figured I should make use of my 3 day pass and start seeing things in the city. I didn't realize how much I would enjoy Venezia. I would have gladly left Bologna a day early had I known this. It's easy to see why people like it here. Everything is so picturesque. The streets are narrow with tall buildings on either side and occasionally a slice of sky at the very top. Some streets are completely built over and are more like tunnels. Everywhere you look there's another great view that's picture worthy. It's easy to get lost in the winding maze-like streets and easier to be so caught up in the sights you miss your turn. During winter hours (usually until April 1) most places close up between 4-5pm. It was a bit of a rush to fit in anything other than walking around the city.
I had hoped to get to St. Mark's Basilica and maybe a museum. The basilica line was huge so I headed for the Palazzo Ducale next door. This was the seat of political life and justice for Venezia as far back as the 9th century. The doge's (head political figure of the Republic) house was also part of this building. I never realized Venezia was such an independent place. They deliberately chose St. Mark as their patron saint to avoid connections with Rome and the Holy See as well as to create a strong appearance through St. Mark's connected animal image of the lion. Most of the Republic's political positions were filled by the aristocracy; something which was carefully documented and watched by requiring proof of noble baptism and marriage certificates on file in the Coffer Room of the Palazzo Ducale. I walked through the former senate and council rooms where legislature and voting took place as well as the criminal and local court rooms and prison in the basement. The court rooms and prison were connected by the Bridge of Sighs where prisoners would catch a last glimpse of the lagoon and freedom before being placed in a cell. I also stood and sat in the voting room where new doges were elected--the largest room in Europe measuring 25m x 53m. En total, a very interesting and informative place to visit in understanding Venezia.
Now that daylight savings is underway here in Europe, it's light out until about 7pm. I wandered the streets and located a gelato shop where I sampled Alice (made with Mascarpone cheese) and Specialite de Riva Reno (it was honey brown in color with large candied nuts in it--no overwhelming flavor however). After moving about all day and missing lunch I thought a tasty treat was in order. I found a restaurant listed in my book for dinner, but they weren't serving meals until 7:30pm. Since it was highly touted I decided to search out a church for Thursday night while I waited. I came across two along with an ATM, street sellers of all kinds of things and a woman whose tiny dog was running ahead of her and over the bridge where I was standing. Instead of chasing after the dog (which she could easily have caught up to), she continued to talk on her cell phone and call out after the dog while being distressed at its running away. A very strange episode in deed, but something I believe is classically Italian.
The Antica Adelaide has been in operation under various owners and names since the 18th century. The menu in the window looked fantastic. I certainly wasn't disappointed! I enjoyed--perhaps relished or had a near ecstatic experience is more accurate--a mixed salad, the gnocci with guinea fowl in an orange ragu and a cinnamon/raisin tart all with a glass of the house pinot grigio. Everything in the restaurant is made from scratch the evening you order it. The lettuce tasted like it was just picked from the garden. The gnocci was so smooth and melted in your mouth from freshness. The tart tasted like it had cream cheese in it (though I don't think it did) and was a perfect finish to the rest of the meal. I didn't want to stop eating! I may have to go back tomorrow night for more tastiness.
My next goal was to decide about which Venice Card to get. Include the transportation or not? For E66 and a 3 day pass I decided to go for everything: museum pass, church pass, public toilet pass and transportation pass. It was a bit hefty, but one trip on the water bus (vaporetto) is E6.50 and unless you want to walk an extra mile to cross one of the handful of bridges on the Grand Canal, you need to take the vaporetto. It's a fun ride too. Reminds me of all the fun times my family spent on our boat in the summers on Lake Erie. These drivers know just how to whip around the boat to dock without jostling the passengers. The directions to the B&B where I'm staying were pretty straight forward. Take line 1 to Rialto Mercato and walk about 150m. This has to be the easiest place I've booked so far in the last month! Plus it's really nice like a B&B should be. I feel so posh staying here.
Since I got in around 3:30pm I figured I should make use of my 3 day pass and start seeing things in the city. I didn't realize how much I would enjoy Venezia. I would have gladly left Bologna a day early had I known this. It's easy to see why people like it here. Everything is so picturesque. The streets are narrow with tall buildings on either side and occasionally a slice of sky at the very top. Some streets are completely built over and are more like tunnels. Everywhere you look there's another great view that's picture worthy. It's easy to get lost in the winding maze-like streets and easier to be so caught up in the sights you miss your turn. During winter hours (usually until April 1) most places close up between 4-5pm. It was a bit of a rush to fit in anything other than walking around the city.
I had hoped to get to St. Mark's Basilica and maybe a museum. The basilica line was huge so I headed for the Palazzo Ducale next door. This was the seat of political life and justice for Venezia as far back as the 9th century. The doge's (head political figure of the Republic) house was also part of this building. I never realized Venezia was such an independent place. They deliberately chose St. Mark as their patron saint to avoid connections with Rome and the Holy See as well as to create a strong appearance through St. Mark's connected animal image of the lion. Most of the Republic's political positions were filled by the aristocracy; something which was carefully documented and watched by requiring proof of noble baptism and marriage certificates on file in the Coffer Room of the Palazzo Ducale. I walked through the former senate and council rooms where legislature and voting took place as well as the criminal and local court rooms and prison in the basement. The court rooms and prison were connected by the Bridge of Sighs where prisoners would catch a last glimpse of the lagoon and freedom before being placed in a cell. I also stood and sat in the voting room where new doges were elected--the largest room in Europe measuring 25m x 53m. En total, a very interesting and informative place to visit in understanding Venezia.
Now that daylight savings is underway here in Europe, it's light out until about 7pm. I wandered the streets and located a gelato shop where I sampled Alice (made with Mascarpone cheese) and Specialite de Riva Reno (it was honey brown in color with large candied nuts in it--no overwhelming flavor however). After moving about all day and missing lunch I thought a tasty treat was in order. I found a restaurant listed in my book for dinner, but they weren't serving meals until 7:30pm. Since it was highly touted I decided to search out a church for Thursday night while I waited. I came across two along with an ATM, street sellers of all kinds of things and a woman whose tiny dog was running ahead of her and over the bridge where I was standing. Instead of chasing after the dog (which she could easily have caught up to), she continued to talk on her cell phone and call out after the dog while being distressed at its running away. A very strange episode in deed, but something I believe is classically Italian.
The Antica Adelaide has been in operation under various owners and names since the 18th century. The menu in the window looked fantastic. I certainly wasn't disappointed! I enjoyed--perhaps relished or had a near ecstatic experience is more accurate--a mixed salad, the gnocci with guinea fowl in an orange ragu and a cinnamon/raisin tart all with a glass of the house pinot grigio. Everything in the restaurant is made from scratch the evening you order it. The lettuce tasted like it was just picked from the garden. The gnocci was so smooth and melted in your mouth from freshness. The tart tasted like it had cream cheese in it (though I don't think it did) and was a perfect finish to the rest of the meal. I didn't want to stop eating! I may have to go back tomorrow night for more tastiness.
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