Venice

Go to the start of my trip here.

It was very difficult to choose a photo from Venice as it is such a picturesque city I had so many lovely photos from it.

7th July 2012 Venice (EURO 22.50)

(Written on shaky train to Bologna, so will be bad writing.)

Woke leisurely at 9 am, got ready and headed out into Venice. It was already hot. I was excited to see Venice again. It was so lovely when we got off the train yesterday to hear British voices, and not feel like the minority. In Milan it seemed like everyone was locals and we were the only ones getting lost. In Venice everyone was getting lost.

We navigated ourselves through the busy streets to San Marco Square. Queued in what seemed like a massive queue for the Basilica di San Marco but I knew from my guidebook that it dropped quickly. It was, as ever beautiful. Bought postcards for greats and M, D and J (?0.80)

On the walk to San Marco we passed a Gelateria I had read in my guidebook wa on of the best in Venice "Gelateria Suso". I got yoghurt with some raspberry/strawberry though it. It was SO good. (?1.50) It was only 10:30 am at the latest and we were already on the ice cream? (I had only had a banana so I was hungry!)

After San Marco we headed to the waterfront which is ALWAYS beautiful. We needed a sit down so I directed them to a garden we had had lunch in, last Venice trip, "Giardini Reali". It was ridiculously hot by this point. We needed to get into the shade of the narrow streets of Venice. We decided to head to the bridge called "Ponte di Rialto" after quickly seeing "Ponte dei Sospiri". It was cooler here in the shaded streets but we needed a rest. After Ponte di Rialto we found a cheap café and got one scoop of ice cream (white choc) for ?2 mainly for the aircon and seat! We decided to see if we could get a ?0.50 gondola ride from one side of the grande canal to the other. This resulted in us sitting in a shaded marble doorway just down from di Rialto, onlooking the water. It was lovely simply to enjoy and watch the magic of Venice. I wrote my cards to the fam. (The countryside on this train ATM is beautiful!) (.... my back is also sweating ... disgusting, haha.) We decided to head to the train station and then head back to the hostel via a supermarket.

Navigating Venice is hilariously difficult and we got lost several times, but made it eventually. We can't get a direct train Venice to Rimini so asked at the info office where was best to change. He informed us that there was a train strike tomorrow so some regionale trains may be cancelled but there was hope for ours. if not we needed to get a Frecciabianca (fast train) and that involves a reservation fee. Better than being stranded though! We got the times, walked, I bought raisins and apple (best apple, EVER). I thought momentarily I had got us lost again and went in a pretend huff with the map. I hadn't and my mood improved vastly when the apple hit me. I hadn't eaten in rather a while, nor enough for all the walking but it's funny because the heat and busyness stop the hunger but low blood glucose level affects your mood SO much. Moral of the story: Bad mood = EAT!

At the hostel I got a glorious cold shower, napped for 30 minutes then woke and had some lovely solo chill time reading guidebook and Rimini hostel stuff while the other two slept. Woke Sarah at 6:30 pm and fiona at 7:10 and headed out at 7:45ish. Walked down the buzzing Venice streets which were so much cooler and it felt so nice not to have my day bag. Walked to Dorsoduro where the hostel had recommended as being cheaper. It was a BIT. Had dinner (stupidly didn't note the restaurant). I had roast chicken and potatoes and diet Coke and it literally tasted like HEAVEN. 14.50. Definitely needed! We then strolled back to near the train station, got ?2.50 ice creams (dark choc and strawberry) and sat by the canal and simply absorbed the atmosphere. Had some great conversations and generally loved life. It was after 11 pm before we said goodbye to the beauty of the water and headed back. I was truly loving travelling, gradually getting used to it. I have learnt so much already. We sat in our room, reminiscing on our childhood and our parents and whether we were naughty/punished. I think we have all realised how many memories we have.