(A multi-part recap of my mid-April to early May Italy trip.)
All good things must eventually come to an end. I'd enjoyed a grand four days exploring the unique city of Venice. However, on day five of my Italy trip (and second full day of the tour) my friends and I packed our bags and bid this city a fond farewell.
All smiles leaving Venice on a water taxi
Although the staff at our Venice hotel had been wonderful, both Kim and I agreed we wouldn't miss the place itself. Besides the mosquito issue, (which we'd unfortunately discovered on our first night after leaving the windows open) the beds in our room were rock hard, and the bathroom old and outdated. Our shower was so pathetic it only sprayed water out of two holes in the shower head, forcing Kim and I to spend an inordinate amount of time trying to rinse our hair under it's meager stream, (It didn't help that Debbie's room had a recently renovated WC.)
A girl and her cow
But today it was time to see more of Italy. Suitcases in hand, our group followed the main guide (MG) through Venice's narrow city alleyways back to the Grand Canal. There three water taxis were waiting to transport everyone back across the lagoon to our waiting bus.
One last look at the Venice canals
Many Venetians own beautiful wooden motorboats that are used as private taxis to ferry people around the city. Three of these very boats were waiting for our group. After everyone was loaded into one of the boats, we took off for one last ride along the Grand Canal.
Boats heading upriver on the Grand Canal
Although most everyone in our taxi chose to sit inside the enclosed cabin, Kim, Rashi and I perched ourselves outside on the back of the boat. Kim and Rashi wished to experience the city's canals a final time, and I of course wanted to take pictures.
Worn buildings reflect on the boat hull
It was another beautiful, blue-sky morning. As our boat slowly motored through the water, I took one last gander at all the ancient, shabby buildings sitting at water level. During my stay I'd so enjoyed capturing all this interesting urban landscape. A city unlike anywhere else in the world, I was really gonna miss it.
We passed under many bridges
Being the nerdy civil engineers we are, Kim and I oohed and aahed every time we passed under a bridge. Naturally, we managed to get a few selfies with bridges in the background.
It looked like a bridge intersection
Every day I'd spent here in Venice, I visited a different part of the town. Today was no exception. Our boat went down new canals and under bridges I'd not noticed before (at least from canal level.) I think I could've stayed here an entire week and not seen everything. (That just means I need to return again someday.)
Boat cabin interior
It was really nice to be outside in the fresh air. I felt sorry for our tour-mates crammed inside the boat cabin.
Industrial area of Venice
After passing under a very long, very high pedestrian bridge, our boat took us past the industrial part of Venice. Large cranes, containers, and every type of watercraft were lined up at these docks. This was where a lot of the freight came into town, before it was broken into smaller loads to be delivered by the local boats.
On the bus - Andiamo!
After straightlining across the lagoon, our boats arrived at a dock on the opposite shore. Luggage in hand, our tour group then followed our MG to a waiting bus. We were introduced to our driver, who went by the nickname "Pino." Suitcases loaded into the bay below, passengers loaded into the seats above, it was time to head to our day's destination - the Italian Dolomites and the city of Bolzano. Our MG cried "andiamo" (Italian for "let's go!") and we were off.
Lotti is buckled in - with her cookies
And so away we went, zipping along the flat plains surrounding Venice. As our bus traveled north, the topography began to transition into rolling hills, and then outright mountains.
Stunning scenery as we approach the Dolomites
Mountains tower over a small village
The green, tree-covered mountains were quite stunning. Tiny villages nestled in the valleys below. Although I'd vowed not to try to take photos from our moving bus (from previous tours I knew most of them didn't turn out) the scenery was so pretty I couldn't help myself.
More steep peaks
The scenery was definitely not boring!
Our trip to Bolzano took most of the morning. Luckily, our bus made two stops for restroom breaks. The first was at an Italian truck stop called the "Autogrill." (Ubiquitous across Italy, we'd get very familiar with these places by the end of our tour.) The second was at our first official Italian rest area. It was clean and spacious, a bit better than the American version (in my opinion.)
At a rest area
As we motored along, our MG got on the microphone to give us a bit of Italian history and information about the town and area we were about to visit. Compared to other guides we'd had on previous tours from this company, this guide wasn't near as interesting. Our MG seemed to like to hear the sound of their voice and talked way longer than I was willing to listen.
Bolzano main plaza, Piazza Walther
However, our MG did inform us that Bolzano, and the surrounding area of mountainous northern Italy (the Dolomites) was until recent history, part of the Austrian empire. Called the South Tyrol, because of its proximity to Austria and Germany, this area has retained much of the Bavarian food, language, and customs. German is spoken here nearly as much as Italian. Much of the food is German-themed: bratwurst, spaetzles, dumplings, pretzels, apple strudel, and of course beer. Known as the gateway to the Dolomites, this town has a distinct alpine feel.
Green mountains frame the city
As our bus pulled into Bolzano proper I noticed the difference right away. It did remind me more of a Swiss or German town than an Italian one. The architecture was definitely more Bavarian in nature.
Statue of Walther von der Vogelweide, a famous 12th century poet
Our bus stopped beside a large public plaza with a prominent white statue in its center. We learned this was called Walther Square, after Walther von der Vogelweide, a well-known12th century poet that lived in the area. The statue in the piazza commemorated this famous man. Our MG pointed out a large, pink building to the left of the plaza and identified it as our hotel for the next two nights.
Lots of bike riders here
We all piled out of the bus and unloaded the suitcases from the undercarriage compartment. Then, luggage in tow, we followed our guides across Plaza Walther to our pink hotel building. It was just past noon, so our MG wasn't sure if our tour's rooms would be ready yet. It turned out that almost everyone's rooms were ready - except for Kim and I's. (Strike two for hotels on this trip!) Although we could've left our suitcases with the front desk, Debbie generously offered to store them in her room for the time being.
Pretty flowers in the Piazza Walther
Our tour now had a couple hours of free time to explore the town and get lunch. I had a hankering to photograph the area around Plaza Walther, so my friends and I headed over there first. It was such a pretty place - huge planters full of colorful blooms, tables and chairs for adjacent restaurants lined three sides, and there was a lovely view of the nearly vertical green mountains surrounding the town. Across the main street, a beautiful cathedral rose above the plaza.
How do the owners access that house?
Just me, Lotti and Walther
The red mannequin on a nearby balcony intrigued us
Bolzano street scene
Then, after my photography itch was satisfied, Kim, Debbie and I headed out to find a bit of lunch. We also invited our new friend Rashi, who was traveling by herself, to join our merry group.
Time for lunch!
Bolzano was a cute town. Tidy, colorful buildings lined the streets. Flowers bloomed in large planters and hanging baskets. The roadways were paved with cobblestones and many were pedestrian only. However, this restriction didn't include bicycles. Right away we noticed there were plenty of two-wheeled travelers. Most of the bikers sped through the crowds, weaving around pedestrians, which was quite unsettling. After four days roaming the wheel-free streets of Venice, I wasn't mentally prepared to dodge traffic again.
Gotta have beer and pretzels
Sidewalk cafes lined the cobblestone lanes. My friends and I walked along, checking out posted menus as we went. At first, it was a bit of a struggle to find a place to eat that we all agreed upon. But then everyone got famished enough that we randomly chose a nearby restaurant, and were promptly seated.
Lotti is feeling right at home
Bring out the beer! Everyone ordered a glass of the local brew, and Kim included a couple of pretzels. (You can't drink beer in Bavaria without a pretzel!) Lotti, my Swiss cow, was enjoying the alpine atmosphere - made her feel right at home.
Cheers - or Salute - or Prost!
My friends all ordered flatbread pizzas - sort of a mix between and Italian and German style of the dish. Not me - I wanted something more regional and opted for a plate of beef goulash accompanied by some Bolzano dumplings, called either canederli (in Italian) or Knödel (in German.) Both the dumplings and the goulash chunks were quite tasty.
I tried the beef goulash with dumplings
After stuffing ourselves with our meals, my friends and I finally waddled away from the restaurant. Having a bit more time, we explored the nearby gift shops, where Lotti found a new bovine friend.
Lotti found a friend!
Back to the hotel, Kim and I were happy to find our room was finally ready. After fetching our luggage from Debbie's room we had just enough time to settle ourselves inside before we needed to rejoin the tour group for our afternoon activity.
Lots of sidewalk cafes here
Our tour had scheduled an afternoon visit to the nearby South Tyrol Museum of Archeology. The main exhibit and focus of this museum was the mummified body of an ancient hunter found in the nearby Dolomite mountains.
Walking through the town market
Off our group went, weaving through the bicycle and pedestrian traffic of Bolzano. It was market day, and we passed several blocks of vendor booths set up in the street, selling all sorts of enticing products. There were many flower booths, fruit and vegetable stands, but my favorite were the ones selling all sorts of colorful dry pastas. I wished there had been time to stop and explore, but our group had a schedule to keep. We had a date to meet the area's most famous resident - Ötzi the Iceman.
Lots of colorful things to buy
The discovery and resulting analysis of this ancient hunter is quite the story. In 1991, two German tourists hiking in the Dolomites discovered a body frozen in glacier ice. Thinking it was a recently deceased hiker, they called the local authorities. The body was recovered and sent to Innsbruck, Austria (the nearest city) for inspection by a medical examiner. In a stroke of luck, an archaeologist happened to be on site and determined the remains were not from a modern human, but of someone who had lived over 5,000 years ago. Tissue samples from the corpse and tools found with the body confirmed this finding.
Outside the South Tyrol Museum of Archeology
Since the glacier ice had quickly encased and preserved the Iceman's body, Ötzi was extensively studied. Researchers were able to determine how the man died. From an arrowhead embedded in his left shoulder, as well as various other wounds on his body, it is believed Ötzi was killed by another person. Analysis of his stomach contents provided insight to what this prehistoric man ate for his last meal. Pollen on the grains in his stomach were used to determine where he lived. Some of the Iceman's clothing was also preserved in the ice, which provided clues to his lifestyle. And since most of Ötzi's skin was intact, scientists counted 61 tattoos on his body. I was fascinated that so much information could be obtained from this ancient iceman's frozen corpse.
Model of what scientist think Ötzi the Iceman looked like
Through many interactive exhibits, the museum explained in detail the discovery, investigation, and findings from Ötzi's mummified body. After winding through the various displays, visitors were directed into a tiny, dark room to view the actual body of the Iceman (which was kind of creepy.)
Ötzi's story was very interesting, but after an hour of wandering through the museum, we'd seen everything there was to see. My friends and I were ready to move on - so that's what we did.
Evening in Piazza Walther
Kim and I went back to our hotel room, and were disappointed to discover our air conditioning wasn't working. As a matter of fact, it didn't appear we had AC in our room at all. We compared notes with Debbie, who said not only did she have AC, but it was working great. (Why did she always get the good rooms?) I suggested opening our windows, but after the Venice mosquito debacle, Kim wasn't in favor of that. In the end, after calling the front desk to complain, our hotel merely sent us up a large fan.
Backside of the statue
Having a bit of time to kill before our evening's group dinner, I made a second trip out to Piazza Walther. The place looked even better in the late afternoon light and there may have been more images recorded on my camera's memory card.
Bolzano Cathedral
Across the street from the plaza was a stunning church. Dating back to the 14th century, the Assumption of Our Lady Cathedral was a Bolzano landmark. The main Catholic church in town, it had a beautiful bell tower and unique roof covered with colorful tiles in a diamond pattern. I had intended to visit the inside of this cathedral during our stay in Bolzano, but Kim and I were so busy we didn't get around to it.
The Cathedral roof tiles were beautiful
Walther looking down on me
Soon it was time to leave the Cathedral and Walther behind and join our fellow tour-mates for our first official group dinner. Our MG enthusiastically explained we'd be dining in one of Bolzano's favorite local beer halls.
Walking to dinner (notice the bike?)
So off our group went, through the narrow city streets, dodging more cyclists. After a long walk we ended up at the beer hall. The initial plan was to sit at the restaurant's outdoor patio. But the sky was threatening rain, so we got moved inside into a tiny, semi-private room.
Dinner in a local beer hall
My friends and I ended up at the largest table, with nine people crammed around it. It was a bit crowded and I found myself elbow to elbow with my adjacent seatmates. To pass the time I made small talk with the tour-mate seated next to me, a lady that lived on the Oregon coast part-time (we had a total of six other Oregonians on our tour!)
Although the beer was brought out rather quickly, the rest of the food lagged quite a bit. A half hour after our beer was delivered, we all got a first course of onion soup (which I didn't eat because onions and I don't get along.) After the soup, we probably waited at least an hour more for the main course to be served. With 27 people crammed into this small room, I became uncomfortably hot. I was far away from a window - and the people sitting next to the nearest windows got cold and closed them. Ugh - I was dying! And my throat, which had been bothering me a bit for the past couple of days, suddenly became very sore.
Enjoying the local brew
Finally the wait staff brought out our main course - a huge platter full of all sorts of meat. There were sausages, turkey legs, and pork ribs. To top it off, the platter also included several Knödel dumplings and a huge mound of french fries. This tower of meaty goodness was supposed to be shared amongst the nine people gathered around our table. Starving by now, we all dug in. It was a bit awkward (and kind of unsanitary) to have everyone grabbing food off the same platter. And the meal was a disappointment. The meats were all dry and the dumplings weren't anywhere near as good as the ones I'd had for lunch today.
Waiting for our food....and waiting
After the meaty mess was cleared away, our MG told us dessert was next - German style apple strudel. We waited, and waited, and waited....but nothing came. By then we'd been at the restaurant for over three hours. I was extremely hot and uncomfortable and not feeling well at all. Kim, whose dietary restrictions included apples, decided she wasn't waiting around for a dessert she couldn't eat, and got up to leave. More than ready to leave this sauna-like room, I immediately followed, as did Debbie. As we exited the restaurant, thunder rumbled and lightning lit up the sky. It started to rain, so we three ladies hustled back through the streets of Bolzano, getting lost once and having to consult Google maps to get ourselves back to the hotel.
Our meal was very "meaty"
Back at our stuffy room, I came to the sad realization that I had a cold. I'd felt a little throat congestion on our last day in Venice but chalked it up to allergies. But tonight I wasn't feeling great at all, and now knew it wasn't allergies. Kim shook her head and commented this tour was starting out just like our Switzerland trip. Then she donned a mask in hopes of avoiding my plague. After downing a bit of cold medicine, I turned the fan to blow onto our beds and settled down to get some rest.
Would this illness doom my second day in the Dolomites? In my next post, our tour would have a full day to explore this iconic Italian mountain range. Come back and see what happens next.
(A multi-part recap of my mid-April to early May Italy trip.)
(Update - this post didn't appear in the Blogger reader when I published it on 6/17 so I'm re-publishing it again.)
Are you getting tired of my Venice posts yet? I hope not because I have one more days worth of photos to share. By the fourth day, I wasn't getting sick of Venice in the least. I'd fallen in love with this unique, watery town built on top of a lagoon.
Gathering with our local guide in the hotel courtyard
So today - day four of my trip but the first full day of the tour - began with a walk around Venice accompanied by a local guide. Our tour group was split into two and each had their own local guide. Luckily my friends, Kim, Debbie, and I stayed together. Our main guide for the tour (aka "MG") went with the other group while our assistant guide ("AG") got assigned to my group. To begin our town walk, the assigned local guide (a woman whose name I now don't remember) led us into a large courtyard walled in by many tall buildings, our hotel being one of them. An old cistern sat in the middle, now converted into a flower planter. I'd seen this plaza out our hotel windows, but had no idea how to access it. That's Venice for you - lots of surprises lurking down its narrow, winding lanes.
Checking out the Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo
And the surprises just kept coming. After leaving our hotel's courtyard, our local guide steered us down a few more narrow lanes, through an arched doorway, and into another piazza. One of the adjacent buildings had a tall tower with a fancy, winding staircase on its exterior. Called the Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo, (translation: "of the snail") this spiral whirl of arches, columns, and fancy white stone railings was built in the 15th century by the architect Giovanni Candi as one of the residences of the Contarini family. A famous Venice landmark, I would've never found this place if not for our local guide.
This house is famous for its external spiral staircase
After gaping at the "snail" house for a few minutes and taking several photos, our group was again on the move, back through the cobblestone alleyways, past colorful buildings, some sporting huge vines growing up their exteriors.
Vines growing on a building facade
A few more twists and turns took our group out onto a promenade fronting the Grand Canal. Still early I noticed some restaurants lining the canal were just setting out their tables and chairs in preparation for the day's lunch customers.
Restaurant along the Grand Canal
Strolling along the Grand Canal for short distance our group came upon the Rialto Bridge. The stairs and top were packed with sightseers. It was certainly busier than when Kim and I had walked over it on our first early morning in town.
Rialto Bridge
Braving the crowds on the Rialto Bridge, our group climbed up the stairs and elbowed our way to a spot by the top railing. The Grand Canal views were as great as I'd remembered from two days ago, except there was quite a bit more water traffic. Ferries and water taxis sped by, with a few personal boats and the occasional gondola thrown in.
Boat dock view from the bridge
Lotti poses for a photo on the Rialto Bridge
The other difference from two days ago was that now all the shops lining the staircases of the Rialto Bridge were open. People bustled about, going in and out of stores, and up and down the steps.
Lots of retail shops on the steps to the bridge
Glass items were popular souvenirs in Venice. A nearby island in the lagoon, Murano Island, was the place where all the glass products were made. In 1291, the city of Venice ordered all glassmakers to relocate their shops and dangerous furnaces to this island to protect the city from fires. As our group descended down the Rialto Bridge's opposite side and back to street level, I noticed an especially inviting shop, its windows displaying a colorful variety of glassware and whimsical decorations.
Colorful glass shops were everywhere
At the bottom of the bridge landing, I again noticed stacks of table-like structures. These were more pieces of the raised walkways the city installs in times of high tide flooding. Called the "Aqua Alta" by Venetians, these events happened many times a year, usually during the winter rains. Our local guide explained to us an ambitious project Venice had taken on to protect the city and the Venetian Lagoon from flooding. Called MOSE (alluding to the Biblical Moses,"Mosè" in Italian) the project consisted of building 78 retractable gates located at the three inlets to the Venetian Lagoon. The gates, as tall as a 5-story building, were anchored into the sea bed and using giant hinges could be raised to block high tides from entering the Lagoon. The project began work in 2003 and the first test run of the system was in 2020, where it worked successfully. Fully completed in 2025, MOSE has since prevented flooding in Venice many times.
Heading towards the town market
Luckily I didn't experience any flooding the entire time I was in Venice. As a matter of fact, the weather was great - dry with mild temperatures.
Mercato di Rialto (Fish and vegetable market)
After our lesson on Venice flood prevention measures, our local guide took off at a fast paced walk towards the main fish and vegetable market. My tour-mates and I quickly followed - we didn't want to get lost in the maze of streets and alleys here! The fish market, or Pescheria, had been located in this area of Venice since the 1300s. Unfortunately for our group, it wasn't open Sunday or Monday, and today happened to be Monday. However, the fruit and vegetable market was open, but our guide breezed by, barely giving me time to snap a few pictures before continuing on. It looked like an interesting place to revisit - if I could find it back later.
Our guide leading the group down a narrow lane
Then at top speed, our guide hurried down a narrow side alley. Our entire group struggled to keep up with her fast pace. Colorful old buildings lined the street, but I didn't dare linger to take photos for fear I'd get left behind.
Crossing one of many canal bridges
Through one alley after another, our guide led us over a couple of small bridges crossing canals in between. I snapped a quick photograph here and there, and then practically ran to catch back up with the group.
The tour group in motion
We wound through many small neighborhoods. The urban scenery was fascinating - weather-beaten colorful buildings, graffiti, exposed brickwork, small shops, canals lined with the locals small boats, laundry hanging from balconies to dry. Great lens candy for my camera! I stopped quickly for a photo here and there. However, I had to be sure not to lose sight of my group or I'd be lost forever.
Another pretty bridge
Lots of boats moored along this canal
Down yet another staircase
Someone hanging out their laundry
Artwork outside a church
Speaking of lost - we ended up losing one of our tour members. After crossing an especially scenic canal bridge, which a lot of us stopped to photograph, our guide led us through two very narrow twisting and turning alleyways. As we came out of the last alley, tour-mate Val (who happened to be from Portland too) told our guide she couldn't find her husband Tom. That finally stopped our local guide in her tracks. Everyone looked back the way we'd come. Nope, no Tom bringing up the rear. As a matter of fact, we discovered our assistant guide (AG) was also missing. There was a bit of a kerfuffle, as our local guide didn't have the main tour guide's (MG) phone number. Luckily one of our tour-mates had thought to take a photo of today's schedule with the MG's number on the bottom. After several phone calls to both the MG and AG, it was determined that our AG was with Tom (thank goodness our AG was at the back of the pack tailing the stragglers!) Since Tom and the AG weren't sure of their location relative to the rest of us, it was decided we would reunite at St. Mark's Square at noon, the end point of today's city walk.
Our tour took us by this church
Missing person emergency now sorted out, the local guide took off again with renewed vigor. She breezed past a picturesque local church and I managed to get a few photos before hurrying back to rejoin the group. (I didn't want to suffer the same fate as Tom - especially since the AG was no longer bringing up the rear!)
And the church's tall bell tower
I did manage a couple shots of the church's bell tower, which was beautiful. I tried to research which church this was, but I wasn't able to determine it's name. It was difficult because our path was so circuitous I'm still not sure of its exact location. (I couldn't retrace our route on a map if I tried!)
Bell tower close-up
We ended up at a shop where gondolas were made and repaired. It was time for a break to learn about these sleek boats that were a symbol of Venice. After our group all filed inside and took a seat, an older gentleman, who didn't speak English, proceeded to give us a demonstration on how he made the oarlocks used by gondoliers. Luckily our local guide was able to translate so we could follow along.
A gondola craftsman gave us a demonstration
He specialized in making the oarlocks
The oarlock, known as a forcola, is carved out of a single block of wood, usually walnut or cherry. The wood is custom shaped to fit the gondolier's specific height, weight, and rowing style. The many notches on the forcula have different uses, and allow the gondolier to make up to eight different maneuvers, such as slowing down, moving backwards, or forward rowing. I had no idea rowing a gondola was so complex.
A finished oarlock and one under construction
It was a very interesting demonstration, and I was also happy for the chance to sit for a bit. We'd been on the go for two hours by then and I appreciated the down time.
Loved all the cute restaurants with outdoor tables
But when the gondola demonstration was finished, it was back onto the street where our whirlwind tour of Venice's neighborhoods continued.
Beautiful window boxes
After another hour of walking, we had one very quick restroom break when our local guide stopped in front of a bakery and told us we had five minutes to use the facilities, get a drink, or buy something to eat. My friends and I rushed towards the WC's because we all had to go! Seeing a bunch of us lining up at the restroom, a man who worked there (I assume the owner) warned us that the bathrooms were for customers only. Most of us did end up purchasing something - my friends bought me a bottle of water while I was taking care of business - so I think that counted.
Some type of utility boats in this canal
More lovely wisteria
Mask shop display window
Our walking tour then passed by large mask shop with exquisitely decorated display windows. All of the masks were so detailed, colorful and fun! There was even one created in the year 2020 to resemble what someone thought the Covid virus was supposed to look like. (It's the round face below with the tongue hanging out.)
Another display window
With all the staircases we got our climbing in!
Gorgeous wooden boats were everywhere
Our group passed by a large walled area where the University of Venice was located. A public research university and business school, it had an enrollment of nearly 21,000 students.
Ca' Foscari University of Venice
Large piazza near the university
From the university, our group crossed another canal and walked across a large piazza with a beautiful white marble church. I didn't catch the name of the church, and also wasn't able to capture any good photographs of it. So many churches here - they kind of all blended together after awhile.
Canal reflections
A public water spigot
Apparently Venice has many public water spigots located throughout the city, where tourists and locals alike can refill their water bottles. We passed by one such spigot, and it looked so unkempt - garbage was floating in the catchment basin below (and a pigeon was walking around it's base) there was no way I'd get water here.
Loved all the canals - so picturesque
The group listening to our local guide
Wide sidewalk along this canal
Finally I recognized the wooden span of the Accademia Bridge and the Grand Canal. I now knew where we were! As we passed over the Accademia Bridge, I spotted another colorful Chihuly glass sculpture sitting on a nearby rooftop balcony.
Another Chihuly glass sculpture
Noon fast approaching, our local guide quickened her pace and pointed our group towards the rendezvous point at St. Mark's Square. I identified many local landmarks as we made our way there - such as the Santo Stefano bell tower, aka the "leaning tower of Kim."
The "Leaning Tower of Kim" again
Gondola parking area
Our group paused briefly at an ornate white marble church, which I later identified as the Chiesa di San Moisè. The sculptures adorning its facade were quite detailed and lovely. So many gorgeous churches in this city!
The Chiesa di San Moisè
Entering St. Mark's Square, tour-mate Val had a happy reunion with her husband. We also rejoined the other half of our tour members and found out their group didn't experience quite as much drama as we did. After a bit (many bits) of information from our MG, everyone was set free to enjoy the afternoon on their own.
This shop sold shoes for gondoliers
Kim, Debbie, and I decided to head back to our hotel. On the way, we passed a shoe shop selling colorful slipper-like shoes that were apparently used by gondoliers. I thought it was interesting seeing a place that only sold one type of shoe.
Speaking of shoes, we made another pit stop on our way back. After looking at them for three days, Kim finally broke down and bought the cute tennis shoes she'd been admiring in the shoe shop next door to our hotel.
Kim buys her shoes!
After speed walking around Venice all morning, I was ravenous. Time to find some food - stat! Hungry for more pizza, my friends and I decided to find the pizza place we'd enjoyed on our second day in Venice. However, easier said than done. Due to tall buildings blocking the satellite signals, Google maps wasn't working very well. We walked around in circles so many times, I was beginning to get hangry. But we finally located the place. By that time I was so famished, I practically inhaled an entire pizza!
Gondola chocolate fountain
One of my "must do" items while in Venice was to locate a well-known gelato shop called Suso. It was reputed to have the best gelato in all of Venice. Even after stuffing myself with pizza, I still had room for dessert (there's always room for dessert!) Loading the place onto Google maps, off we went to try and find it.
Standing in line to get gelato
After having such a hard time finding the pizza restaurant, I was a bit skeptical. But this time Google maps came through. It took us right to the gelato shop - the long line outside its door gave away the location.
It was worth the wait!
Although the line was long, it moved quickly. The place posted a QR code above the door, so you could access the menu, and make up your mind before reaching the counter. What a great idea! By the time my friends and I were ready to order we knew what flavors we wanted. And let me tell you, it was absolutely delicious. Some of the best gelato I had in all of Italy!
Lotti finds a scarf she likes
Then, since it was our last day in Venice, my friends and I did a little more souvenir shopping, trying to purchase some of the things we'd had our eyes on for the last couple of days. I got a t-shirt I'd been looking at, and Kim bought a beautiful scarf from a shop that sold nothing else but scarves. Even Lotti got into the fun, posing with her favorite fashionable scarf.
Happy hour time once again
And then we enjoyed an early happy hour back in the same piazza where we'd spent our bleary, jet-lagged first day.
Lotti and I are liking the limoncello spritz
Both Lotti and I agreed we were really getting to like the limoncello spritz.
Another gondola ride - yipee!
That evening our tour had arranged gondola rides for everyone. At the appointed time, we all regrouped near one of the canals. One of our tour-mates, a nice lady named Rashi from California, was on tour by herself, so my friends and I invited her to join our gondola. Rashi had friends who were supposed to travel with her on this tour, but they all dropped out. I thought it was great that she decided to go by herself anyway.
Because we were all traveling without our spouses, or didn't have spouses, the four of us nicknamed ourselves "all the single ladies" afterBeyoncé's hit song. In line for our ride, we all started humming the tune.
Lotti is the guest of honor
Our tour participants were paired up in groups of four and loaded on to a waiting gondola - everyone but one couple. Because tour-mates Mike and Monica from Florida were celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary, they were assigned a gondola all to themselves. And as a special surprise, two men, one playing a guitar and one singing, boarded the boat to serenade the happy couple.
Following our tour-mates gondola
Off we went on my second gondola trip! I was giddy with joy that I was riding a gondola again. It was even better than my first trip. We went on a totally different route, so I got to see some new canal scenery. Of course, my camera was madly clicking away.
Heading down a canal
Gondolas in a row
Our gondolier was fantastic. The guy definitely had a sense of humor. I'd brought Lotti, my Swiss cow, along and we were all being goofy and posing for photos with her. After a bit of tomfoolery, the gondolier looked at me and sternly demanded "Give me the cow." At first I thought we were in trouble for messing around. But happily that wasn't the case.
Our gondolier let Lotti help him out
After reluctantly handing over Lotti, our gondolier took my cow and put her on the boat by his feet. We all laughed - the guy just wanted an assistant!
Lotti is an honorary gondolier!
We all thought this was great! Many more photo ops ensued. And I think Lotti really enjoyed herself.
We ended up in the Grand Canal, near the Salute Basilica
After wandering through a series of canals, following the other gondolas of our tour-mates, we all emerged onto the Grand Canal, this time near the Salute Basilica where my friends and I had been just the day before. It was really interesting to see this area from the water-level vantage.
I liked the striped docking poles
Some of our tour-mates smiling for the camera
All of the other gondolas hauling my tour-mates floated into the canal. They lined up beside one another and we had fun waving to the other tour members in their boats.
As a matter of fact, someone on my boat (I think it was Debbie) took a short video of our gondola on the Grand Canal, which I've posted above. You can hear us calling out to one of the other gondolas, and joking about having a race. And then Debbie comments "We're gonna win, we have the cow!"
A typical Venice scene
Two of our tour-mates were celebrating their 40th anniversary
Gondola in the Grand Canal
Happy Anniversary to Mike and Monica!
I got one good shot of Mike and Monica being serenaded in their special boat. The happy couple looked like they were having a great time.
Someone snapped a pic of my friends and I
The scenery around the Grand Canal was so impressive, I took tons of photos. Because I couldn't decide which ones to include in this post, you're getting them all. Enjoy the photo dump!
Mike and Monica were serenaded on their gondola
Gondola line-up
Say cheese!
I liked the golden fish on our gondola
After floating together on the Grand Canal for several minutes, our gondolas each turned and paddled single-file down a side canal, heading back to our unloading area.
Lotti and our gondolier became friends
About that time I looked over at our gondolier's feet and to my horror, noticed Lotti wasn't there. Oh no! Did my little cow fall into the canal? The gondolier heard the alarm in my voice, and worriedly looked around his boat. Then he reached inside a small door which Lotti had been sitting on top of and to my relief, pulled her out. Whew! My little Swiss cow had merely fallen into a little compartment inside the gondola.
Heading for the unloading point
Lotti now safely back in my hands, our gondolier paddled his boat towards the tour's ending point. As our gondola passed under a bridge before the unloading area, our MG, who was sitting on top, captured photos of everyone.
Pic from our tour guide
My second gondola ride had been even better than the first. I had a fantastic time and most of that was due to our wonderful gondolier. We sadly unloaded and thanked the man heartily.
Dinner with a few of our tour-mates
But now we were all starving - time to find some dinner! Several of my tour-mates decided to try a restaurant on the way back to our hotel, and my friends and I decided to join the group. We ended up as a group of twelve, taking over the courtyard of a local restaurant. It was really fun getting to know some of the people we would spend the next 21 days with. Everyone enjoyed fantastic food - I had a delicious ravioli dish. Even thought I'd eaten a full dinner, I really wanted to try a genuine Italian tiramisu, so I ordered one for dessert. (There's always room for dessert, right?) Oh and it was so yummy - totally worth the calories!
I made room for the tiramisu
Our time in Venice was nearing an end. Tomorrow, our tour would make its way back across the lagoon to start our journey around Italy. Our next stop would be in the famous Italian mountains called the Dolomites. Come back for day five of my Italy trip!
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