Venice

St Marks Sq

Venice must be the best port in the world to cruise into.  It is absolutely spectacular and you just don’t want to miss a second of it.  I think everyone on board the boat was on the deck both coming into and sailing away from Venice.  Most ports are at the arse end of the town or even several kms away and are very unappealing to say the least but Venice is definitely not one of those ports.

It was a great schedule too as we had a lazy morning, breakfast was delivered to our door then we causally got ready then went on deck by 11 to watch the spectacular show of cruising down the Canal San Nicolo Oi Lido then through the Canal di San Marco passing St Marks Square then onto our berth by 12pm.  Usually we arrive at 6-7am so it’s always an early start.  Then we always have a time limit and have to be back on board the boat by a certain time.  This day was different as we didn’t have to reboard until 1.30pm the next day so we could stay out all night it we wanted.

We excitedly gathered downstairs with passports & water bottles at the ready then shot off at the first available opportunity.  Venice has a few new things since we were last there 4 years ago.  It now has a people mover from the port to the station, which is a driverless monorail.  It also has a fancy new bridge going over the canal to the train station but everything there is pretty much how it’s been for the last few hundred years.  The first place I wanted to head for was San Simeon Piccolo.  It’s a fairly unexciting 15th century church but it was the name I was interested in.  On the way we passed the Carlton Hotel so we all had to have our photo under that as well. Then we wandered towards San Marco.  It’s fairly easy to find your way around so you don’t need a map if you want to go to the Rialto bridge, San Marco or the train station as wherever you are there will be a sign pointing the way.  If you want to go anywhere else you could be a bit stuffed.

On the way you pass interesting little shops, yummy looking bakery’s with meringues the size of a football, narrow streets, cross numerous bridges with the inevitable gondola cruising underneath or delicious smelling cafes.  It was at one of these that Jon & I pulled up at while the others continued walking.  You really have to have a pizza and a beer when in Italy, it’s just the polite thing to do. 

We eventually made it to the famous square & as we had done the Basilica before we chose to go to the Doge’s palace, constructed in the 14th centaury. The Doge was a Duke and the chief executive to Venice.  He was elected by the council and had sweeping powers but almost remained a prisoner as he wasn’t allowed outside the palace and was there until he died. He could go out occasionally but not for long and only with permission and 7 people had to accompany him. This palace had a huge courtyard in the middle with a door leading straight into the side of St Marks Basilica.  The first bit we saw looked a bit ordinary until we came to his private quarters and the council chambers.  Wow, just couldn’t describe these rooms.  Each room seemed to be bigger than the last with magnificent frescoes and gilt on the ceilings & masterpieces on the walls.  We weren’t allowed to take photos but it was simply an incredible building. 

As well as the Grand Council they also had the far more powerful “Council of Ten“.  These guys watched over security & had a network of spies & secret agents. Inside the palace is a model of a Lion’s mouth. You could leave an anonymous note here, dobbing in someone you thought was a traitor. The Counsellors imposed criminal judgements, the poor accused didn’t have to be there, had no right to appeal & sentence was carried out immediately.  If they were to be imprisoned they were lead over the Bridge of Sighs (said to be named because through the small windows of the bridge you can get a glimpse of the canals and life on the outside and was the prisoners’ last look before being locked away, maybe forever) and connected the Doge’s palace to the formidable prison on the other side. 

Looking thru the bridge of sighs

It was all a bit grim as we passed over the bridge and thought of the poor souls who were lead here for real.  At least we got to get out again.  Then we slowly wandered back to the boat, stopping to eat again some more wonderful Italian fair before collapsing in bed with very sore feet & legs.  I did go up on deck to listen to the Venetian orchestra under the stars which was lovely as the night was balmy and the music wafted over the evening breeze but by that time I had had enough fun for one day.

Next day we were off bright and early to again wander around the narrow streets and poke our nose into the interesting shops.  There were so many mask shops and thousand of different masks, some were so elaborate and beautiful, they were just amazing. With it’s 118 islands, 150 canals and 400 bridges, there is a lot of exploring to be done. You can take the vaporetto which is the equivalent to a bus but it’s the local ferry if you get sick of walking but then you miss all the little streets which then open every now & then to a Campo where there might be an old church or statute & you wonder, where the hell did that come from.

Another thing these Mediterranean folk did back over the centuries is nick other countries treasures, it just seemed to be the done thing.  In Istanbul in the Hippodrome was a column that was taken from Karnak Temple in Egypt and in turn four bronze horses were stolen from the Hippodrome and now adorn St Marks Basilica above the main doorway.  They also took St Marks bones from Alexandria in 823 & reburied them here so no-one was above nicking other peoples treasures or bits of bodies.

Back on board and the farewell sail back up the canal and into open sea heading for Dubrovnik.