Dancing on the Rialto Bridge
Has it really been almost two years since my last post, right before the world came to a grinding halt? There were a couple of times over the past 20 months that I thought about posting something, but then just couldn’t muster the interest. I think a lot of us have felt a lack of interest in things during these times.
For me, I have been lucky. I have stayed healthy and been able to see parts of Ireland. I bought a car (now sold) and drove (a manual) on the other side of some very narrow roads. Roads that make Ashbury Terrace look like the 405! It was fun, scary at times, but always an adventure. Penguin went on most of those jaunts, but sadly, Joe has been at home. Travel anywhere during Covid is not recommended when you are a 2,000 year old saint.
Alas, islands can feel very confining, even ones as beautiful as Ireland. So, I have made some changes so as to take better advantage of the freedom (for now) that comes with being fully vaccinated (and boosted)! I have relocated to the Continent and will update you all on that in the weeks to come. Needless to say, it’s another adventure.
For the past 20 months I have been trying to get to Venice. Either Italy was in crisis mode, or Ireland was in crisis mode, borders were closed, it was too hot….something always kept me from getting there. I rescheduled the trip three times and finally, on the fourth attempt, I made it. Penguin in tow. I am glad I did.
Venice was everything I imagined it would be, and more. Pictures simply cannot convey the grandeur or beauty of the city. I will attempt to do so, of course, but you will just have to imagine what it is like to be there in the middle of it all.
When you arrive in Venice you are awestruck. Everywhere you look is either stunningly beautiful or at least super interesting. A few hours after you arrive and have walked around a bit, it hits you – there are no cars in Venice. It’s not that there just aren’t many, or that only official vehicles can drive around, there are NO CARS. I did not see a single one in FIVE days. There also are no bicycles, vespas or those annoying scooters you see littering every other city on the globe (US and Europe, anyway). This is what sets Venice apart from all the other “Venice’s of the [insert geotag here]”. Amsterdam, Bruges, St Petersburg, all beautiful cities and all with canals, but they all have cars.
There are only two modes of transport. Boat and Foot. Even the city busses and ambulances are boats!
Since you must either walk or take a bus-boat (boat-bus?) to get to where you want to go, you spend a lot of time exploring. I walked up and down more narrow lanes and crossed more bridges than I could count. My smartwatch told me I walked between 8 and 12 miles each day I was there. May not seem like a lot, but remember, it’s also all cobblestone.
One of the greatest things about walking in an new city is you get to see how it lives and breathes. Venice may look to us like some It’s a Small World theme park ride, but it is a real city with commercial interests and people going about their days. They just do it in gondolas and other small boats.
And while I love seeing the day-to-day of any new place, Venice is still Venice and we go for the beauty and to be wowed..
St Marks Cathedral 
St Marks Square 
Rialto Bridge 
Moving statue of Fortune. Moves because fortune is ever changing. 
Canal 
Canal 
On the day that I went to visit St Marks Cathedral and the Doges Palace, I only had my phone. Online information said no large bags or purses were allowed, so I left the big camera in the hotel. Stupid me for believing online information. Everybody had large camera bags but me. Oh well. The phone takes pretty decent pictures and what are pictures but snapshots of our memories.
St Mark’s Basillica – Inside 
St Mark’s Ceiling 
St Mark’s Inside 
Domes of St Mark’s from Doge’s Palace 
Grand Stairwell in Doge’s Palace 
View of Doges Palace from the Terrace of St Mark’s 
Doge’s Palace 
St Mark’s Horses – Originals 
Terrace of St Mark’s with the Horse Replicas 
Bridge of Sighs at twilight
I feel so fortunate to have been able to make this trip to Venice. The reason for the lack of tourists is not what anyone wants, especially as we enter year three of this.
I will keep you updated on my coming adventures. As I write this, I think they will be closer to home than I had hoped. But, now that I am on the Continent of Europe, I can get around a bit easier. I will leave you, for now, with images of Venice at Sunset. Ciao!
