Venice 4/00

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Everything is on the water...

St. Marks Square, Venice

Our trip from Rome to Venice was on the Eurostar Italy, which was great. The trip for four of us was under $100 US and it offered a break from airports and airplanes. We got to see some Italian countryside, although that got old after a few hours. The trip took about four hours.

Once in Venice, things got confusing at the train station. You can't just grab a taxi in Venice. Even the brown UPS delivery vehicles are boats. It took a while to determine the right water bus to St Marks Square. We had considerable success eating with kids in Venice, as it is geared toward tourists, pizza and pasta.

Tuesday April 11th - Venice

Once we got to town from the train station, there was no apparent way to find our hotel, which we knew was just off St. Marks Square. Addresses don't help. Thanks to a helpful FedEx office, we were given idiot-proof directions that got us to the hotel.

There are no cars or bikes allowed in Venice, which made walking a bunch easier than in Rome. The whole city is very small and walkable. After we settled in, we took the water bus back up the Grand Canal to see the city at night (first and second pictures below).

San Giorgio Maggiore viewed from Doges Palace

Wednesday April 12th - Venice

The next morning, with rain threatening again, we took a gondola ride from our hotel (third and fourth pictures above). Many books advise you not to do a gondola ride, but we found it very enjoyable. It cost around $100 US for the four of us for a 45 minute ride all around Venice. The canals didn't smell when we were there, as some tourist books tell you. We spent the afternoon walking through St. Marks and the Doges Palace (Grand Stairway - first picture below), both worth the time and effort. The views from the tower are great of Venice and it gives you a feeling of being in a medieval town when you look down on the buildings (second and third pictures below).

Thursday April 13th - Venice

The next morning I took a walk at dawn alone and got my best shot of the trip, which I called "Gondolas at dawn" (fourth picture above). I caught the waves lapping the square with all the gondolas in their parking spots from the night before. Click the thumbnail to see it at 800x600.

Later that morning we took the water bus to the airport for our trip to London. We got into London in just enough time for a quick change of clothes and a taxi downtown for a pub dinner and Starlight Express at the Apollo Victoria. I had arranged front row tickets for the show in advance and that is the right way to see this play. Great for kids and I enjoyed it as well.

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