Saturday has arrived and off we head back to Florence. It takes us an hour to get down off the mountain. The roads are narrow and windy and the drivers go whizzing by you so they can pass. To my dad if you’re reading this, it’s just like it was when we were living in Spain. They make 5 lanes out of a three lane road and that doesn’t include motorcycles (Vespa’s) or bicycles. They are free to roam in and out of traffic as they please. Probably to a normal Italian driver, it may have taken them 30 minutes to get down but I wasn’t about to go fast and downhill to boot. No sir—I’ll take it slow thank you. Once down, it was about another hour to the Florence airport to return the rental car. Thanks to my “co-navigators” we didn’t make a wrong turn once. It was the easiest check in I’ve ever done. They had you pull in a slot, get your stuff out, hand them the agreement, and take the keys. All done and halleluja I’m done with the car!! Yippee. We get in the first taxi we see and have him take us to the train station where we catch a fast train to Venice. Fast meaning a little over two hours time. I did have one exciting thing happen at the train station. As we were walking to the ramp where our train was parked, I spotted a little person. When I looked, it was Amy Roloff, the mother in the TLC show "Little People, Big World". Two of her children were with her. I went up to her and told her I enjoyed her show. She was very sweet. After I walked back over to where Beth was standing, I decided I would ask if I could take a photo. Not only did I take a photo, one of the guys on the camera crew took my camera and shot some pics of me with them. I figured my grandchildren would enjoy seeing them.
The train station sits right on the canal and when you walk outside the station, there are masses of people waiting to catch a private water taxi or the public water taxi where everyone seems to want to get off and on at the same time. That’s not too bad when it’s just you that you have to worry about. When there’s three of you and each of us with STILL too much luggage, it can become a problem. We weren’t real sure where to go once we got off and I struck up a conversation with a little man on the taxi and he said for us to follow him. He would show us where we needed to go. Only problem was, there are two hotels on Venice with similar names and he got them mixed up. No worries, one of the bell hops took some of our luggage and showed us to the correct hotel. Our room wasn’t ready when we checked in so we asked them if we could leave our luggage and wander until it was time to do so. Heaven forbid we have to lug our suitcases all over Venice until then. Not going to happen. Once outside the hotel, Beth drops a pin on her iPhone so we know exactly where we are JUST IN CASE we can’t find our way back. We were totally surprised when we found ourselves at the edge of Piazza San Marco (St. Mark’s Square). We are taking it all in. They have these yellow chairs set up all over the Piazza and people can order a glass of wine and/or eat as well. We decide to sit down and order a glass of wine. Ha—little did we know that one single glass of wine would be 10Euros each and the waiter in his white coat, black tie and white pants, reminded us that a tip was NOT included!!!!!! Ok buddy, you just knocked yourself down from a great tip to a cheap tip for that comment.
Wine finished, we wander some more and come upon another part of the canal. This is the Grand Canal that goes out to Sea if you travel far enough on it. We are curious about the gondola rides even though none of us are in Italy with our spouses. However, it would be a shame to be in Venice and not go on a gondola ride. Beth and I head over to a little stand and inquire. We are told that tonight is the biggest celebration in Venice.
We wander the streets (streets with absolutely no cars that is) trying to decide where to get some dinner. Of all the wonderful food, we end up at the Hard Rock Café!!! I can say though that it was the only time in our 16 days that we have had American food. I didn’t miss it at all. The only thing I really missed was a green salad every once in a while.
The goldolas go out in the middle of the canal, along with literally hundreds of other gondolas and boats and yachts to watch the largest firework celebration ever!!!!! They weren’t kidding. It was 60Euros each for us and each gondola holds 6 people. We ended up in one with a lady named Ann from England that lives in Paris, a young Japanese fellow and a german lady from Munich that has an apartment in Venice. We were to be back at the Pier at 10 till 11 so we could go out and get our spot. I thought I would remember the exact spot where we paid for our ticket but apparently that didn’t happen. We had to weave our way through the crowds that reminded me of a rat in a maze. I can’t even begin to estimate how many people were there for this once a year event. We walked across the bridge to where we thought it was and I didn’t think it looked right. I told Beth it I thought it was back on the other side so off we trekked only to NOT find what we were looking for. Beth was right—it was back at the first place we went to so back we headed a second time.. Success—we got in line and quickly we were climbing into a gondola. It definitely was a first for all of us. Words could not even describe the experience of that night. Fireworks like we have never seen before, any of us!! At one point, I leaned over to Beth and told her this was nothing—they do this in Fletcher all the time. We had a little chuckle.
I tell you one thing, as soon as the show was over, it was no time and we were back at the dock to get out. They have it down to a science as to how to get people off the canal quickly. As we head back to our hotel, we walk through Piazza San Marco again. There are three different spots around the square where they have live music. Mostly classical but everyone enjoys listening to them. Families together, young and old. I could easily get used to the Italian way of living.
Ahhh-hotel room, sweet hotel room. How good that bed looks. We are exhausted and it takes us no time to fall asleep. Tomorrow is another day and we have many alleys, bridges and canals to explore. Good night Venice.
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