Memories from another time and place

Today I went looking for a map of Venice and while rummaging through the drawers in the back room I came across the travel diary from our Italian trip in 2004. I took it out and enjoyed reading it. I thought I'd share it with you.

After a long, tiring journey to Venice including a 4-hour transit experience in Rome airport, we managed to find the right vaporetto, get off at the right stop, and drag our heavy bags across numerous bridges and squares to B&B Sandra - arriving close to midnight extremely hot, sweaty and frustrated.

But all was forgotten at 7am this morning when we woke in our attic room, opened the window and saw the wondrous view across the rooftops of Venice. Church bells were ringing, waves were gently rocking across the canal blow, and seagulls were resting on the rooftops nearby. Absolutely magical! I couldn't wait to get onto the upstairs landing and take photos - even if it was a little misty. The Breakfast Room was divine and I continued to take photos between mouthfuls of cheese, bread and prosciutto.

We headed off about 9am and hopped on the Number 1 vaporetto to go up the Grand Canal to St Marks. {text removed} The church had flooded so we had to use walkways. It is amazing and once inside we realised there was a Sunday Mass in progress. The place, the time, the awesome feeling when the hymn was sung, it all nearly reduced me to tears - it was just so emotive.



Next stop the Palazzo Ducale including the Bridge of Sighs from inside. Just amazing! We ate lunch in the cafeteria then headed to Bacino Orseolo where the gondolas were moored. By this time it was raining steadily and this increased over time. We wandered through alleyways, walkways and piazzas to Ponte di Rialto. It was now bucketing down! A quick visit to the markets and in and out of a few shops before walking back to Fondamenta Trapolin - only stopping for coffee.



We are now back in B&B Sandra. The sun is trying to come out but I don't care. Church bells are ringing across the city, evoking a beautiful and peaceful feeling, which is only interrupted by the occasional horn from a vaporetto on the Grand Canal nearby.

I'll try and find the journal from the last trip to Venice and share that as well. Actually I should dig deeper and find the one from 21 years ago. Now that would be entertaining!

If only we were going tomorrow. For now we've got the deposit on the apartment ready to go, the flights just about organised, and travel insurance fully paid up. If only it was tomorrow and not many months away

Ah, Venice.....