We docked and took a short walk to a gondola station. Today, we saw a bit of the island, but in general, it was just about the water taxi and gondolas, so this was a quick walk. Then we broke down our groups further, 4 per gondola. We went with our new friends from GP. This one had one nicer bench and one bench, probably for a family with kids. After a skill-testing game of paper, rock, scissors, they got the good bench. Honestly, probably better. I am not a big guy, but he is, and his sitting on the tiny seat would have been interesting. So yes, like the Bugs Bunny cartoons, there are gondolas with a singer; ours did not, and actually, I am okay with that. This is actually an art, passed down through generations. That kind of thing still exists. I guess "drivers" often are the children of drivers. The business is handed down, and an actual gondola is expensive to buy and maintain. I found it interesting that something like handing the business still happened. No corporate takeovers, no trying to build it up just to sell it off. It is a family tradition and a business, and I like that the more I think on it. Now, when they tell you to sit still or at least not to move around too much, they mean it. My wife, of course, had her pro camera and was happily snapping pictures, and decided to move to the other side. She did not get there, as soon as she went to move, the driver felt it in his boat and was instantly saying to sit down! We felt it too, but I am guessing these guys are so in tune with their work that they don't mess around and risk flipping the gondola, which, I think, is rather easy to do. It is like a tour through a fantasy game or novel, or James Bond, if you like. Down tiny narrow water alleys, with doors right off the alley into old-looking stone rooms. Some brightly lit, maybe a store or hotel. Some dark and dank, I am sure, nefarious dealings were going on. A couple of hotel bars overlooked these alleys, one even had a door opening onto the alley. That would be a fantastic place to sit and write this all out. Then we came out onto the Grand Canal again. It isn't as interesting on a gondola, and we had already seen it, but it is part of the tour. I can't remember if she was fully nude or almost. Still, a woman was hanging out her window like that, or her back was so you couldn't see anything. Still, I am sure it was either a photo shoot for someone OR some influencer spicing up their Instagram. It annoyed me for some reason, almost like selfie sticks in Disney. Not the fact I couldn't see the goodies you perverts. On the other hand, it could just be a woman doing a glamour session to make themselves happy, and I, as a tourist, should shut up. I will never know. Once we unloaded the gondolas, it was back to water taxis and the mainland, then on the bus to our hotel.
I gave the names of the other hotels; I won't give this one. It was a soviet prison, or it sure looked like one. A grey tower, cold concrete, probably 20 floors. Most hotels I have ever stayed in have a warm atmosphere. Lighter colours, maybe an inviting sign or some foliage outside. Anything that might make people come in, this place did not have it. Just off a major roadway, I am sure tour guides and locals know it was a hotel. I would have just kept driving, wondering why a prison was in the heart of the city. Once we got inside, the lobby was fairly plain and average. A bar to one side, an open area that would clearly be for eating the breakfast buffet to the other, and a pool out back. After Florence, it was a downgrade for sure. Checked in and headed to our room. Tip for tour companies, stay on the island!! Rome, we were away from the heart of the city, but both nights were late, and people were tired, so it was to bed. Florence was a late night, and the hotel was beautiful, but Venice wasn't really late yet, but we were in an ugly hotel with nowhere to go. Had we been on the island, I am 1000% sure people would have either gone and found a place to eat or gone exploring. Part of me is sure this is on purpose, though. I doubt they really want customers wandering all over a city at night. It's one thing if you are on your own, but a tour group probably wants to keep close tabs on you, even if they say "explore yourself."
We got to the room, and it was almost exactly what one might picture from the outside: dingy. The whole room looked yellowish, and the TV didn't work, so we had to call a maintenance guy up for that. The bathtub was shaped like a key, with a big round head and a thin leg area, I guess? I don't know if back in the day it was supposed to be futuristic or what, but nowadays it just comes off weird. That could be what happened back in 1960 or whenever it was built; it was top of the line, but never updated or something, I don't know, and I'll stop guessing and bashing them. There was nothing wrong with it, but it was not a place I would pick again.
That night, my wife skipped dinner, and I went down myself. I was right, the open area had tables set up, and we all sat down. I sat with the pastor and his wife again, and another guy that I want to talk about for a second. Maybe not him in particular, but how he traveled. He came alone, which is pretty interesting to me. At first judgment, some people are going to say, strange. I can be honest and say I thought that, at first judgment. That's my error. It is borderline bravery; I don't think I could do it. First, I know people judge, and I would hate to be on a two-week trip feeling like that. Plus, does it get lonely? Corny as it sounds, I like sharing sights with my wife. The first time we saw the Trevi fountain, it was awesome to turn and share the amazement with someone. I know that, as a person, I would find it lonely not to have that person to turn to. When I sat and thought about it, though, it takes some courage and self-confidence to do that. To say fuck it, I am going to see this amazing trip, something I really want to do, world be damned. There is a desire there; most would take the expense of a trip and dump it into something else. So to those who can travel alone and enjoy it, kudos to you. Actually grabbing life by the balls and enjoying yourself. He also had a pro camera like my wife's and was constantly snapping pictures. Dinner was bland, and the portions were small. They eventually came around and offered seconds. I am not a huge eater, but we could have gone with thirds. Plus, a bottle of wine per table isn't much. Four people for a bottle is actually pretty small. The company was good, though, then it was an earlyish night. I do like a hot bath after a long day, but skipped it in this tub and dingy room.
Breakfast in Venice was in the same room as supper, but again it felt more relaxed. They still wanted us up bright and early, but it is the whole not-checking-out thing that makes it feel more relaxed. That could be why I remember this breakfast as a good one. Either way, as per normal, I stuffed my face, getting ready for the day. I debated not eating as much because we were told we would be having a seafood "feast" that night. In the end, I was glad I did fill up.
The bus ride was uneventful, and we hopped on a boat to the island of Murano. We were going to a glass-blowing demonstration. Yes, it sounded lame to me as well before we went. I was going to get to some fun facts about Venice, but one is that it is an island of wood, so back in 1291, whoever was making the laws in Venice said that any glass blowers had to head to Murano Island. Their glass furnaces burned too hot, and they did not want a spark to set the main island on fire. Turned out this was not a terrible idea; they got very good at their art, and even to this day, over 800 years later, Murano glass is still world-renowned. Sadly, our boat docked right on the edge of the island, and the store/workshop we were going to was right there. So my actual sights of Murano are a dock and a storefront. We were taken into the building and hurried to the workshop in the back. Huge furnaces sat in a room that reminded me of my warehouse. They had set out some chairs and had us sit. They actually encouraged picture taking. I wasn't sure whether they wanted us to capture his work. The showrooms we had walked through had a no pictures sign. They later explained it was so we wouldn't post things, have the competition see them, and try to make them. Much of the draw to blown glass is that it is all original. If you have something made, there is a good chance there will not be another exact replica anywhere in the world. We went inside and got a 20-minute demonstration. It turns out, it is actually fairly interesting. The glass is heated to an almost liquid state, and using a long tube, they move it in various directions. Or "blow" into it to give it shape. They made a decent little horse in the time we watched. Then came the real business. What I assume was the owner or manager brought us from the back workshop to the sales floor. Now, if I were a man of wealth and taste, I would have bought a glass set and a decanter to pour a drink in an oak-finished office on a massive desk while I wrote this. That's how nice a lot of this stuff was. Different sizes, different colours, and all very durable. They smacked them around to show us. That was hardly all that had though. Art, jewellery, even fancy chandeliers. I said it before, and I am sure I will again, these tours are all about commerce. They were even willing to ship to Canada, at a certain price point. Again, you found out who had money and who was a normal person. I do alright, but they didn't even look at me when it came to the expensive stuff. Again, our new friends from Eastern Canada and the ladies from Texas got exclusive items to look at, and I believe a rather large chandelier was purchased, with shipping arranged to Canada. I did purchase a bracelet to drive away the evil eye for my mother. I hate buying gifts when travelling. When I was young, and all my friends liked to party, it was easy. Now I think of family and what they might like that isn't a T-shirt, which will likely be stuffed in a closet somewhere. Once the shopping was finished, we were all boated to the main island.
We had a walking tour of the main island. It was the worst tour of our entire trip. The guide seemed to hate her job and tourists. Being a tour guide was a bad idea for her. She did have a legit point when she explained why Venetians aren't huge fans of tourists, but she gave off vibes like she hated tourists, too. I almost wish I had skipped this one and had most of the day free by ourselves. Of course, it started in St Mark's Square or Piazza San Marco. Pigeons are a problem here. Seriously, I heard more than one person say, "Give them a shotgun and clear the square for an hour, and they could make it more enjoyable." Sadly, there was construction underway, so scaffolding and tarps were set up, but it is still quite a sight to see. The square is massive and open, with three sides lined with buildings housing stores and coffee shops. Everything is still in the old-school design. Pillars holding up the roofs over the walkways were doors duck into ancient shops. I don't know if the floor in the walkways is marble, but it looks and feels like it. The walls look worn, well, they are worn, they are old, and lights hang from the ceiling to give a dim light to the entrance to the stores. The fact is, it draws you into the old world. I wanted to try Florian's, a coffee shop that has been open since 1720. The oldest in Italy and among the oldest in the world. It has a long history, and you can Google stories if you want. I just enjoy the fact that both Charles Dickens and Casanova were frequent visitors. That's what it is like around the square on three sides. St Mark's Basilica, of course, is the main attraction. The church is massive. Five huge arches out front, of course, the one in the middle of the 5 being the largest and the entrance. Paintings cover the arches, and they are topped with statues. Another place I would have gone to, but the tour didn't really give time for it. There is the clock tower there as well, and I am pretty certain they told us how many stairs there are and said we could go up in our free time. It sounded like a lot of work, and if I have free time, climbing stairs for a quick picture wouldn't be my first pick. Also, there is a large museum I wanted to visit! However, after the tour, we needed to eat, and by the time we finished, the line to get into the museum would have been too long. On a return trip, I would for sure go to the Basilica and the museum. Clock tower, maybe if I was feeling strong. This is what I mean: a tour shows you awesome stuff, but you don't get a good look inside.
So our walking tour, besides the fact that the guide seemed bitchy was interesting. Not listening to her, but the bridges and walks through a floating city. The fact that the city can and has flooded to me is crazy; people just live here knowing that. For a good one, Google St Mark's flood, you'll see the massive square underwater. This can happen on all the sidewalks. In fact, if you look closely, you can see water lines on the buildings. I really enjoyed the walk; it's just my imagination, but to me, Venice is a perfect setting for a fantasy or crime story. So many nooks and alleys, roads that are waterways and not gross. Go to a city centre almost anywhere in North America and walk down a tiny alley. You will see garbage lying around. Maybe a hobo or two, or if you are really lucky, used needles or condoms. Here, it isn't like that; it is like an adventure. We ended at the Rialto Bridge. It is a massive pedestrian bridge that spans the Grand Canal. Keep in mind the Grand Canal is the main travel way through the island, so it is not an understatement to say it is massive. It was white; it has faded some in the sun over the years, but it is still impressive. Today was one of the nicest days of the tour, and we were actually wearing shorts. We ended up taking sunny selfies on the bridge and then looking for a lunch spot with the couple from GP. We went down a few alleys and saw a few places we could have popped into, but I am not sure why we yet again headed to the most public square. We have been told, and we have read, that we should eat a few blocks away or in some nook to get the best food and the best value. Yet we walked back to St Mark's Square. The plan was to eat quickly and have time to see something. This was the day we had the most free time. On the way there, the other couple pointed out a Venetian mask store to my wife; she was really looking forward to buying a couple of them.
However, I am going to end it here. Getting a little long, but next time I should end Venice, I figure. Paris and Italy will be done, on to Greece. Well, not quite true, we did have a day in fair Verona that I will get to.
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