Greetings form Venice or as the locals say Venezia. Which brings up one of the weirdest things we’ve encountered lately, that places have different names in different languages. As I right this I think I’m in Florence but an Italian would tell you I’m in Firenze. We had breakfast this morning with a french couple who were telling us of their day in Pise by which they meant Piza. Anyway when I get back I’m planning to discuss this with Kofi and get some kind of a international commitee together so that we can all agree on where I am at any given moment. If the people who live there want to call a place Qesiqh then we should all call it Qesiqh. End of rant.
Venezia was lovely once we found our way to our hotel. The streets are not numbered like anywhere else I’ve been in the world, instead each building has a unique number within the entire city. Our hotel was 4680, in the Sestiere San Marco which means it’s near San Marco Square but doesn’t help much after that. As an added bonus there are two sister hotels, The Bonvecchiati Hotel and the Palace Bonvecchiati both in the same area but on different streets. Anyway let’s just say it was an adventure schlepping two big suitcases up and down the narrow streets and stairways and I’d encourage future visitors to spring for the high priced (but direct) water taxi route. Once we got there the hotel was excellent. And my muscle memory of the adventure gave me a great deal of empathy for fellow suitcase luggers who we saw over the next few days. We helped three Canadian ladies find their hotel and assured them that it was a shared right of passage. Did I mention that it was raining?
We spent the first evening and the morning of the next day wondering the little streets and just soaking up the beauty of the place. Around every little bend was another quaint scene, whether a gondolier, flower boxes along the windows or the tilted facade of a 15th century mansion.
That first morning we also stopped for the most expensive coffee we’ve ever had. Just to sit in one of the Cafe’s in San Marco Square you’re in for 4.5 Euros a piece to pay for the band, add in 8 Euros per cappucino, 4 Euros per croissant and things add up quickly. Needless to say the next day we had breakfast at our hotel.
Of course if you’re in San Marco Square you have to feed the pigeons. I’m not the bird lover my dad is but this was pretty neat. Tried to get Ali to have a go but she was too scared that one of the pigeons might ‘let go’.
We also took the required gondola ride, which was really a special experience. From the gondola everything looks older and prettier some how. Our gondolier was great, pointing out the sights in heavily accented english. We both got a kick out of it when his wife called him on his cell phone and afterwards we noticed that every second gondolier we saw was on the phone. 
The other highlight of our visit was yesterday, which was sunny and clear by the way, when we toured St. Mark’s Basilica. This is the most unique church we’ve seen so far in Europe. It’s outside is half ‘European’ half Byzantine and inside all of the walls and the ceiling are covered with mosaics showing the life of Christ and St. Mark. We weren’t allowed to take pictures inside however we did get a few pictures of the outside mosaics which should give you a feel for it. The view over St. Mark’s Square from the basilica is also great.
After St. Mark’s we sat on a patio along one of the canals and soaked up the sun and the suds (it was my birthday after all) before hopping on a water bus and heading to the train station. Two and half hours later we were in Florence. We went out for a birthday dinner the highlight of which was the ‘Degustation for 2′ which is a fabulous new word we discovered, that basically means one of each desert.
Thanks for all your birthday wishes here on the site and via e-mail; couldn’t really think of anything to wish for as we’re having the trip of a lifetime.
Cheers,
Mark & Ali
P.S. When George learned what they charge for a gondola ride he thought he’d set up shop in Venice. He didn’t do very well fiscally as his gondola was a little tiny and his Italian isn’t great but i think he had a good time anyway.
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