Art wanted to get an early start because we would have to make our way to the airport on our own instead of with the tour group who would be taking a four hour bus ride to Milan to get to another airport to go home to Hawaii.
After a quick breakfast, we quietly got our bags and disembarked from the ship. I felt badly that we didn't get a chance to say goodbye to our tour mates.
When we stepped off the ship, it was really dark.
We asked workers coming to the dock to direct us to the People Mover trains.
This was beginning to feel like an adventure.
We bought tickets and waited for the train to come.
We finally made it to the airport where the Best Western shuttle came to pick us up. We met another couple waiting there who said Lufthansa was paying for their hotel stay and would be flying them out the following day.
At the Best Western, while filling out the check in forms, a taxi pulled up and out came Bernice, our new cruise friend from New Jersey who was also affected by the Lufthansa strike and would be leaving the following day. What a wonderful surprise to see her again! What are the chances of meeting someone in this way with all the other hotels around Venice?
Art bought an all day ACTV bus pass for about $20 a person which even included the Venice water bus, the vaporetti, .
We walked out to the bus stop, rode into Venice and boarded a vaporetti to Piazza San Marco.
We were surprised to find water flooding the piazza. It was high tide and there was lots of water in front of St. Mark's Basilica and in the middle of the square.
Ramps were set up to enter the St. Mark's Basilica.
There were even ramps inside the basilica.
The water covering marble floor bought out the beautiful color of the tiles.
You can see where the water is rising from the manhole. We remembered to bring Flat Stanley with us. That's the Bridge of Sighs behind us.
The bridge name, given by Lord Byron in the 19th century, comes from the suggestion that prisoners would sigh at their final view of beautiful Venice through the window before being taken down to their cells. In reality, the days of inquisitions and summary executions were over by the time the bridge was built and the cells under the palace roof were occupied mostly by small-time criminals. In addition, little could be seen from inside the Bridge due to the stone grills covering the windows.
--Wikipedia
Using a toilet is pretty expensive in Venice. The public toilet on the left cost 1,50 Euro. That's almost $2. There were some fun sights to see around the canals and we got to spend time buying souvenirs for our children and grandchild.
We got on a vaporetti and was somehow put in front where I got a magnificent view of the Grand Canal and Venice.
The wooden bridge on top is the Accademia Bridge (Ponte dell'Accademia) which crosses the Grand Canal towards its lower, southern end, linking the San Marco district with the Accademia gallery in Dorsoduro.
Here is the famous Rialto Bridge.
The Rialto Bridge (Italian: Ponte di Rialto) is one of the four bridges spanning the Grand Canal. It is the oldest bridge across the canal, and was the dividing line for the districts of San Marco and San Polo.
--Wikipedia
Too soon, it was time to return to our hotel to prepare for our journey to Chicago. Thankfully, the Lufthansa pilot strike did not impact our flight schedule.
On the way home, we got off too early so had to wait for the next bus to come along in about 20 minutes. This was the first time Art goofed.
We then almost missed the hotel as we went past, but would you believe I saw it? I'm still shocked I did. Art took this photo to document the moment that I was the one who actually managed to find our destination.
Here in Venice, for our last meal, we had our first pizza on this trip. What made it humorous is that I think the owner and definitely all the servers were Chinese. And the pizza? It was very good!
I was so glad we had this lovely extra day in Venice on our own after all the mishaps we'd encountered. It was a lovely way to end a Mediterranean Cruise punctuated by falls, illness, pilot strikes, etc.
But then... do you think anything else could go wrong?
After a quick breakfast, we quietly got our bags and disembarked from the ship. I felt badly that we didn't get a chance to say goodbye to our tour mates.
When we stepped off the ship, it was really dark.
We asked workers coming to the dock to direct us to the People Mover trains.
This was beginning to feel like an adventure.
We bought tickets and waited for the train to come.
We finally made it to the airport where the Best Western shuttle came to pick us up. We met another couple waiting there who said Lufthansa was paying for their hotel stay and would be flying them out the following day.
At the Best Western, while filling out the check in forms, a taxi pulled up and out came Bernice, our new cruise friend from New Jersey who was also affected by the Lufthansa strike and would be leaving the following day. What a wonderful surprise to see her again! What are the chances of meeting someone in this way with all the other hotels around Venice?
Art bought an all day ACTV bus pass for about $20 a person which even included the Venice water bus, the vaporetti, .
We walked out to the bus stop, rode into Venice and boarded a vaporetti to Piazza San Marco.
We were surprised to find water flooding the piazza. It was high tide and there was lots of water in front of St. Mark's Basilica and in the middle of the square.
Ramps were set up to enter the St. Mark's Basilica.
There were even ramps inside the basilica.
The water covering marble floor bought out the beautiful color of the tiles.
You can see where the water is rising from the manhole. We remembered to bring Flat Stanley with us. That's the Bridge of Sighs behind us.
The bridge name, given by Lord Byron in the 19th century, comes from the suggestion that prisoners would sigh at their final view of beautiful Venice through the window before being taken down to their cells. In reality, the days of inquisitions and summary executions were over by the time the bridge was built and the cells under the palace roof were occupied mostly by small-time criminals. In addition, little could be seen from inside the Bridge due to the stone grills covering the windows.
--Wikipedia
Using a toilet is pretty expensive in Venice. The public toilet on the left cost 1,50 Euro. That's almost $2. There were some fun sights to see around the canals and we got to spend time buying souvenirs for our children and grandchild.
We got on a vaporetti and was somehow put in front where I got a magnificent view of the Grand Canal and Venice.
The wooden bridge on top is the Accademia Bridge (Ponte dell'Accademia) which crosses the Grand Canal towards its lower, southern end, linking the San Marco district with the Accademia gallery in Dorsoduro.
Here is the famous Rialto Bridge.
The Rialto Bridge (Italian: Ponte di Rialto) is one of the four bridges spanning the Grand Canal. It is the oldest bridge across the canal, and was the dividing line for the districts of San Marco and San Polo.
--Wikipedia
Too soon, it was time to return to our hotel to prepare for our journey to Chicago. Thankfully, the Lufthansa pilot strike did not impact our flight schedule.
On the way home, we got off too early so had to wait for the next bus to come along in about 20 minutes. This was the first time Art goofed.
We then almost missed the hotel as we went past, but would you believe I saw it? I'm still shocked I did. Art took this photo to document the moment that I was the one who actually managed to find our destination.
Here in Venice, for our last meal, we had our first pizza on this trip. What made it humorous is that I think the owner and definitely all the servers were Chinese. And the pizza? It was very good!
I was so glad we had this lovely extra day in Venice on our own after all the mishaps we'd encountered. It was a lovely way to end a Mediterranean Cruise punctuated by falls, illness, pilot strikes, etc.
But then... do you think anything else could go wrong?
Oh no! There's more mishaps to come? I'll say this was quite the experience, Kay. I'm puzzled over what it might be: bags lost again? Weather? I know I'll find out soon enough. :-)
ReplyDeleteYou're getting warm...
DeleteI'm tempted to say: Travel isn't for sissies!
ReplyDeleteMore? I'm just grateful we travel in the 21st century not in Victorian times. I just have to remember to washy washy often. So glad you made it Chicago...an assumption.
ReplyDeletewhat a wonderful way to end your trip! I rather like the idea of going around on one's own.
ReplyDeletei don't think i ever have to travel again! i am just going on your trips. we have a bridge of sighs here and it looks exactly like the one you have shown. amazing! and it connects the courthouse to the jail!
ReplyDeleteThe water level was down when we were there, but we saw all the ramps at the ready for the next high tide or storm surge. I got a little lost with all that ship to airport and back to Venice travel. Where was your hotel?
ReplyDeleteOur hotel was actually about 5-10 minutes away from the airport and quite convenient for us.
DeleteI hear European pizza is much different from the american counterpart
ReplyDeleteThe pizza at that restaurant in Venice was actually pretty close to the US version.
DeleteNow the last sentence of your post sounds ominous. With the flooding in Venice one wonders what will happen with rising sea levels.
ReplyDeleteYou and Art are amazing and brave... I could never do this much as I would love to see the sites minus all the issues...
ReplyDeleteHi Kay -
ReplyDeleteThank you for letting me re-live our vacation through your blog. And I learned so much: oh, THAT was the name of that place; THAT was the history/background; etc., etc. And thank you to you and Art for treating me to dinner on our sea day. Although the journey had so many ups and downs, it was a pleasure to travel with you, Art, and Flat Stanley. And you, too, Arnold! La Nancy
It was such fun traveling with you and Arnold, Nancy. I just loved how you both kept your sense of humor no matter what happened.
Deleteglad you are safely home and just recalling this experience! lol...
ReplyDeleteAnd ye your beautiful smile is in every picture!
ReplyDeleteI have never been to Venice but through pictures. I also like to read Donna Leon's books about Inspector Brunetti who lives in Venice. The descriptions of the city are so interesting, right down to the inspector having to wade through the flooding at times. Donna Leon is an American who lives in Venice. These are great photos Kay and goodness, what an adventure!
ReplyDelete