Venice Day 3

25k steps today!

Ben being a typical teenager it isn’t his usual to get up at 8 on the weekend but when you only have a short time you have to make the most of it, well that’s what I told him!

Breakfast , then out to the same little Cafe for breakfast with our free voucher for the same as yesterday. Today started misty, which was very atmospheric on the canals. You could see the sun trying to burn through which was good. It’s all so much better when the sun shines - well in my world it is! We get plenty grey heavy skies at home….

First stop was the Ponte dell’Accademia bridge at the southern end of the Grand Canal. I think it’s my favourite viewpoint. Stood for a while watching the comings and going of the life on the water. We took photos and a lad took photos of Ben and I. The most has cleared and everything was sparkly.

I wanted to go to the Peggy Guggenheim museum which is set in a building on the edge of the G C. We enjoyed the contemporary art and also the gardens and terrace outside with the terrace giving canal side access.

Next up was a Vaporetto to Arsenale for a walk round this area where the ancient ships used to be built. Lots of beautiful towers, clock faces , lion statues, large canals and a military building. Naval think. Ben was ‘starving’, so we popped into a cafe for sandwich and more croissant.

More walking and ended up at the bottom south west of the island. We had to get to a luxury department store by 2:15 for our organised entrance to the terrace. It’s free, you book in advance , only a certain number of spaces for a 15 min slot for this fabulous view of both sides of the Grand Canal and all the buildings. Seemingly the shop is being closed due to less spending in it - less Russians and Asians Andreas told me, although not sure about less Asians, there were the usual hoardes of them all travelling together in large groups as far as I could see and flashing the cash at a few of the tills. Certainly less Russians. Lots of Americans though.

Of course when in Venice you have to do a Gondola ride. I prefer the small canal one so picked Angelo, and headed off. It was very quiet on the canals today he told us. We did part of the G. Past Rialto and then on the small ones. It was so peaceful.

Our next appointment with the entrance to St Marks at 4 so before that we popped into the museum cafe for refreshment before heading over the square to it.

Again, huge queues at the buy a ticket her part but empty at the skip the line already bought bit. The inside of St Marks is stunning - Ben wanted to light a candle , I suppose you don’t have to be catholic to do that.

We had a look at the Christmas tree that was going up once outside and then hopped on the (again) crowded vaporetto at St Marks Stop. Our two day pass expired at 4:50 so we just made it! We certainly got our moneys worth out of this.

It was another beautiful sunset and we walked back the short distance to our b and b for a sit down and refreshment .

Headed out to another local restaurant later and had another nice meal.

Walked home with the aid of Google maps this time! Well we wandered. There was a big ole moon and it made the canals and bridges beautiful.

I collapsed in a heap into bed….