Venice by Pizza and Prosecco

After a decent night's sleep in Casa de Pellegrino, we woke relatively early and headed out to look for pastries and breakfast. While Jeanette was finishing up in the room, I went down and moved the car into the hotel's parking lot (5 €/day).

Most of what we found, besides pastries, were ham, salami, and mayonnaise sandwiches on wonder bread. No joke. We tried a couple, and they tasted OK, but overall... too much mayo!

We had asked for directions by bus to the train station and found one of the buses that we were supposed to take. We assumed that you paid for tickets on the bus as you do in the States, but no, it turns out that you need to buy tickets at a magazine store or other kiosk, so we hopped off after one stop and promptly bought 2 tickets. Hopping back on, it took only a few minutes to get to the train station. Lucky we didn't get caught as it would have been a 20€ fine each.

We took the train to Venice for 5€ round trip each. How can you beat that for a 45 minute ride? We arrived at about noon after chatting with a nice older couple from Israel who were named Mocha and Dalia. Mocha was an immigrant, but Dalia was something like 5th or 6th generation born in Israel or the general region that became Israel.

We walked across the Ferrovia bridge and wandered across more bridges and between narrow buildings, appreciating the sights of the cramped walkways and the sounds of water lapping between the buildings. The morning was quiet and gray with a bit of drizzle now and then.

We wandered through several shops, checking out prices on Murano glass, then found pastry shops to die for. Jeanette tried a triangular treat that was about 3 inches on a side and an inch and a half thick. It was kind of like a blend of chocolate and macaroon. Delicious. I tried some cookies and a cioccolatto... a very thick hot chocolate drink that is tasty, but a bit rich for summer time!

After a bit, we ended up at a pizza place, called Pane, Vino, and San Daniele, where we split a Diavolo pizza that had prosciutto on a nice thin crust with red sauce and cheese. Delicious. Jeanette had a glass of spumante and I had some red wine that complimented the pizza well.

We found our way across the Rialto bridge and then decided to try to find our way to Murano. Winding along in the general direction of a ferry stop that we saw on the map, we were able to follow the signs (there are directional signs about 10 feet up on many of the buildings pointing tourists to landmarks and prominent squares) and our gut feeling to find the Fte. Nuovo launching point for the water taxi to Murano. We got decent seats in the back of the taxi and enjoyed the sights of Venice from the water as the sun started coming out.

In Murano, we walked around several of the glass shops near the ferry stop and were impressed by the great varieties of colors, shapes, purposes, and patterns of glass. There was everything from nice wine glass sets, to pretty little drink sets such as the one we purchased in Florence, to gaudy-as-heck chandeliers that look like melting wax bouquets of flowers. Whatever floats your boat!

Murano looks somewhat like Venice, if a bit shorter with more of a salt-air-aged-wood-seaside feel. We found our way to a pleasant east-west canal where we strolled through more shops, purchasing a pretty beaded necklace for Jeanette, then stopped for a prosecco and a grappa in a bar. The grappa was a strong one! (Warning to sheltered American tourists... even in picturesque Murano, many of the bathroom facilities are 'eastern' style toilets if you catch my drift...)

We took the ferry back to Fte. Nuovo and immediately discovered that the sun and the afternoon brought out the tourists. We took some photos on a pretty bridge near the drop off point, then made the foray back to the main thoroughfare to get to San Marco square. The crowds surprised the both of us as it had been so pleasantly quiet in the morning, but the chance to get to see the city in both the clouds and the sun was worth it. The sun brought out many of the richer colors that the clouds had muted, making the city look a bit more cheerful.

On the 'main drag' we walked by many of the more expensive shops about which we had read. The crowds in San Marco square were constant, but not thick so we were able to admire the architecture and sit for a bit with no problem. We saw some Japanese tourists daring to feed the pigeons and being mobbed by them. We passed on the bird poop.

Along the water we admired the views of the Chiesa Di San Giorgio across the water along with the many gondolas both in service and tied up at the pier. A pleasant couple from Baltimore took our photo and we reciprocated. We paused along the way to admire some amateur artists work and then decided to take the water taxi for a bit of a ride along the grand canal.

The taxi ride was busy... crowded with school children, tourists, a camera crew, and other locals. We couldn't imagine how busy the taxis must be at the height of tourist season. Probably too crowded for my taste. We looked out the window and checked out many of the buildings along the canal which have unusable first floors and moldering facades. Sad, but picturesque. We got off the taxi just after the Rialto and walked around till we discovered another pizza place (___) with a great selection. We happened to be the first patrons in, but the staff was welcoming and nice. We shared a liter of a house red, a salad with some extra anchovies, and we each got a pizza. Mine was pepperoni and anchovy and Jeanette's was capers and anchovies... getting a theme here? The pizza's were delicious.

We finished a bit late and hurried back a bit too quickly (at my prompting), but we ended up with some time to sit by the Ferrovia and the water. The city bustled with activity and it seems like it would be a nice place to return to overnight. We caught one of the last trains out and ended up taking a taxi back to the hotel at around midnight.