Arriving 30 minutes early, we grabbed some McDonalds (yes, the golden arches are everywhere) and took it on the train with us. I ate my meal and within 5 minutes I was asleep. I awoke here and there to see the countryside… it was a very beautiful trek to Venice. I just couldn’t keep my eyes open.
We arrived at the Venice train station and exited the station to a gorgeous view of water, boats, gondolas, and freezing cold air. The beautiful buildings are old, exposed brick under lightly colored plaster, aged shutters… Very charming! We took a small boat/shuttle to the Rialto dock and right off the boat was our hotel. It is what I expected, very old, slightly Venice cheesy with flowery furniture, headboard, and gaudy chandelier. But the bathroom is clean and we’re in a good location.
One of the most famous bridges in Venice is right outside the front door of the hotel, and the boat to and from the train station is also right at our front door… so that is nice!
Setting off on foot we were greeted with the scent of hot wine in the air with a touch of salt, and the occasional smell of fish from the outdoor fish market that had just closed. The streets are VERY tiny and the shops small and cute. Lots of masks being sold here, a few leather shops, and lots and lots of Venetian glass; some of it is nice, however most is too gaudy for my taste once again.
Street after street was almost just wide enough for two people to walk side by side, maybe three. Some were well lit, some not, but all were nice. We passed many little bakeries, selling hot chocolate which we immediately ducked into to get out of the cold and ordered some hot chocolate. It definitely warmed us up and we continued on foot once again into the cold, night air. We stopped and checked out menus on all the restaurants to start scoping out a place for dinner. Nothing looked good just yet.
We eventually found the Piazza San Marco, however it was already dark out, so we took a few photos. We decided it would be better to take pictures the next day so we could get the full effect. On we went, and the night got colder and colder. It was in the 30’s and the wind had kicked up off of the water. I imagine with wind chill factored in, it was around 30 to 32 degrees out. We had purchased these fleece hoods that could be warm as a scarf, a cover for your mouth, nose, and ears or as a hood and you could cinch it tight around your face so just your eyes were showing. We both put them on and were so glad we had them with us. It was so cold out!
We found many of the stores to seem repetitive… most all of the paper shops had the exact same paper, the glass shops, the same exact glass as the last. A few unique shops stood out and we ducked into those just to browse. (The shops are all very warm so I think most people do that all day just to warm their hands, feet, and faces.) Also, the Italians love their dogs here. So many dogs, and all well behaved, but their owners need to get on the “bag” bandwagon and actually clean up after them. All of the dogs have cute sweaters on, some even full jackets if they have short fur. It is funny to see a dog owner scold their dog in Italian. I get a good chuckle out of it every time.
It was about 7pm by now and we happened upon a tiny restaurant on a tiny street somewhere beyond our hotel. We went in and it seemed warm and inviting. I think it was family owned, and the interior looked aged and comfortable. We were quickly seated and ordered a carafe of wine and a bowl of soup and a salad to share. The soup was pasta fagioli and it was not like the soup you get in the USA. It was thick and rich and hearty and delicious! The salad had very fresh and very crisp mixed greens, tomatoes, fresh corn and carrots. No salad dressing here by the way… there is olive oil and balsamic vinegar on all of the tables here. And mind you the olive oil tastes fresh… an almost spicy finish. They also brought us some fresh bread, butter, and a plate for the olive oil and balsamic.
Everything on the menu looked amazing, and in Venice the specialty is fish. However I was on the hunt for meat, something hearty. Claudia was on the same hunt as I. We opted for the veal milanese and were very glad we did. It was perfectly cooked and full of flavor. Might I add when you order food here it is hot. So often ordering food in the US it is luke warm, as it has sat under a heat lamp while the waitress gossips with the bus boy…
We ended the evening with cappuccinos and tiramisu that was home made. SO GOOD! (I wish I had remembered to take pictures… but we were so relaxed we forgot!)
It was time to end the night. We headed for our hotel, and within about 10 minutes Claudia was asleep. I stayed up a bit to work on my blog and watched one of two television stations in English – BBC or CNN. I opted for CNN. A nice day, with a relaxing finish… Ciao for now!
I am glad you had some time to write such an interesting review.
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