Venice - Disneyland for Adults

Friday, October 02, 2009
Venice, Veneto, Italy
The beginning of a 15 day extravaganza to Italy! Thirty years in the making we figure if we have not killed each other by now perhaps we never will - so - we went for BROKE!  And after paying European prices - that is exactly what happened, but it was so much fun going there!

Flying Business Class, using more than a decade of frequent flyer miles, we then splurge on a private water taxi to take us from the airport across the bay to Venice . Special thanks to Lisa Hanna for her encouragement to fly into Venice rather than Rome and to take the Water Taxi rather than the Vaparetto (Water Bus) to our hotel. There truly is nothing like approaching Venice in the morning. The water taxi was a "E" ticket ride which provided an intimate introduction to the city as well as a exhilarating and refreshing (as water splashes in your face) ride. Hey who needs whimpy Gondola rides when you can FLY!

St Mark's Campanile (Campanile di San Marco in Italian) is the bell tower of St Mark's Basilica in Venice, Italy, located in the square (piazza) of the same name. It is one of the most recognizable symbols of the city.

We took the Clock Tower tour at St. Mark's Square. This unique historical clock standis on the north side of Saint Mark Square is currently shielded from view under protective covering during the renovation phase. The large clock face displays the hours of the day, various phases of the moon and the movement of the sun through the signs of the zodiac symbols . Above the clock face one can see the winged lion of Saint Mark against a backdrop of blue with gold stars. At the very top of the tower are two bronze figures of Moors holding a club preparing to strike the bell indicating the time of day.

We stayed at the American Dinesen Hotel. Positioned in the quaint and central sestiere of Dorsoduro, the American Dinesen Hotel is a superior three star hotel located in an antique XVII palace in the historic center of Venice. Yes, Dorothy there is some place better than home. Especially, since when we arrived there was a chilling bottle of bubbly from our footloose and fancy free daughter in Jordan!

We really enoyed just getting lost in Venice. After all, it is an island. How lost can you get? One picture was taken near a bridge near the BEST Cicchettei (local munchies) we had in Venice!   There was small crostino - slices of fresh Italian bread served with fresh figs, jam and fresh parmesean . There there was the crostino topped with homemade cream topped with small artichokes and dill. Or the Cicchettei with fig jam and fresh mozerella. Should I go on??

We enjoyed taking the Vaparatto No.1 line that slowly zigzags between 20 stations on its wayfrom the Piazzale Roma to the Lido. It's popular with tourists - that was us - because it offers a leisurely tour of the Grand Canal and offers a quick way to get from one side of the canal to the other. Saved big $$ too, what is wrong with that?

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2025-02-11

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