A Dream Vacation – part 1 -- Venice

By Shanaz Ramzi

   I had been wanting to visit Europe and see certain cities in depth for many years now, and was beginning to fear that by the time my husband and I got round to doing it, we would either be too old to do the inevitable long walks, or not enjoying the best of health, both of which would detract from the pleasure of appreciating all there is to see and do. So, when amidst all the war tension and uncertainty my husband and I finally got our Schengen visas, we decided to go ahead with our trip – despite the turbulent times. However, while mercifully the war came to an abrupt end, my worst nightmare came true the day before we were set to embark on our travel, for my left knee started to pain acutely.

   Determined not to get bogged down, I armed myself with Brufen and pain-relief rubs and gels, and off we went, our first destination, my dream city, Venice, comprising more than 100 islands in the Adriatic Sea. Reaching early afternoon, we hailed a cab from the airport which surprisingly had their fixed rates posted on its window, so there was no bargaining or question of being hoodwinked. It dropped us off at the pier from where we had to take a water taxi to reach our hotel, as Venice has only canals connecting the 111 islands comprising it, or 400 bridges that can be crossed on foot. Just as we were negotiating with a taxi driver and debating whether we should opt for a water bus instead to take us to our hotel, we saw two more couples asking the same driver what it would cost to take them in the same direction. He offered to take all of us together in 100 euros so that we could split the total amount among us, which suited us all, so we all clambered into the boat. I was very impressed by the driver’s fairness for he took 35 euros each from two sets of couples, as we had a little farther to go, and 30 from the remaining couple as they were going to get off a little before us.  

   The ride through the Grand Canal with magnificent Gothic and Renaissance palaces flanking both its banks, was a picturesque one. To our delight, our hotel was in an alley directly overlooking the pier where we were deposited along with our luggage, so we didn’t have to lug it far. We checked in into our hotel -- Hotel Commercio and Pellegrino -- and then went for a walk to the nearby central square, Piazza San Marco, to explore the area, bustling with tourists and kiosks selling souvenirs. The vistas were great no matter which direction you looked; if it weren’t some magnificent architecture your eyes would set on, then it would be one of the quaint bridges over the canals connecting the islands, or the black, red and gold gondolas lining the bank, beckoning you to them. To our delight, we spotted a building that was playing host to the Venice Architecture Biennale, on its first floor, so immediately went up to see the displays there.

   We had lunch at one of the open-air sidewalk cafes that line all the streets of Venice -- the best pizza we had on the trip, I might add – and then rejuvenated, went for a stroll in the many alleys, exploring the shops dotting them. Dusk in Italy wasn’t till 8:30 pm so we had plenty of time to make the best of the daylight hours. Then we went off for what was the highlight for me, of our tour – the hour-long gondola ride! Our gondolier was most affable and gave us a guided tour of all the sights we passed, enhancing our appreciation of this fascinating city on canals. As we started walking and debating where to partake of dinner, it suddenly began to pour, so we darted into the nearest eatery that had canopies over their tables, and had dinner with the rain pelting down, making the evening quite surreal. The rain subsided just as suddenly as it had started, and our dinner over, we made our way quickly back to our hotel, to call it a night.

   The next day we packed before breakfast, as check-out was by 11 am, and left the bags with the hotel reception as we planned to spend the day sight-seeing, before taking the train to Florence in the evening. We then made our way to the Square, and seeing that the queue for St Mark’s Bell Tower, also known as St. Mark's Campanile, was short, as it was still early in the day – the previous evening it had been formidable – we decided to go for it. The tallest structure in Venice at 323 ft, it offers a breathtaking 360-degree view of Venice so the trip up the elevator to the turret is worth it. Although a reconstruction after its collapse in 1902, The tower faithfully replicates the original structure and remains a prominent symbol of Venice. 

   We had booked tickets for St Mark’s Basilica for the afternoon but learned that they required physical tickets to grant us entry, which would be available from the ticket office located within the Square but at a fair distance away. So, we spent a good hour trying to locate the office, in the process seeing a lot more of the tiny alleys, bridges, canals, and the beautiful architecture of buildings in which such mundane things like ticketing offices were located. Finally, we found it and returned to join the queue outside the golden Basilica, a magnificent building with a façade that is as awe-inspiring as its interior. It reminded me of a grander version of Hagia Sofia in Istanbul. 

   After lunch at an eatery overlooking the canal and the Bridge of Sighs, built in 1614 and renowned for its location – sitting between Doge’s Palace and the New Prison from where the prisoners would wistfully glimpse their last view of freedom through its small windows before entering the prison cells – we walked to Doge’s Palace, the next major tourist attraction in the Square. The Doge's Palace isn't just a museum; it's a meticulously planned labyrinth reflecting Venetian history in its very structure. From its entrance into the grand courtyard full of architectural elements and beautiful sculptures to its two floors housing opulent chambers and art masterpieces, not to mention prisons, the palace offers a variety of stunning gems. 

   After our trip to the Palace we were back in the narrow lanes boasting a plethora of inviting shops, and of course, we had to succumb to the temptation, though our bags were packed. Finally, we made our way to the hotel to freshen up and collect our luggage. Luckily the pier from where the waterbus was to take us to the train station was just across from our hotel, so we didn’t have to struggle too much with our bags. Reaching the station much ahead of time, we sat down to have tea at one of their cafes, and took turns to explore the numerous interesting shops dotting the place, until it was finally time to board our train.