Viva La Venezia...

Don't get me wrong, Venice is an awesome place....

For two days.

I really enjoyed getting lost in its maze of alleys and canals, wondering around munching on a panini, drinking good coffee, sipping prosecco in the square, not forgetting the gorgeous drink invented in Venice at Joe's Bar...the Bellini(Champagne and white peach puree.)




The ancient Venetians built the city in the lagoon to get away from the barbarians and the raiding hordes. They also left their ancestors a legacy, to sell cheap souveniers and charge small fortunes for meals and drinks to stupid tourists who visit this floating theme park of a city. And boy do they visit. Tourism is a contributing factor towards the sinking of Venice. They flock their en masse.

We docked in Venice for three days at a time and it was cool cause the middle day was normally a day when new passengers boarded, dropped their suitcases and ran into town for their sightseeing, so we did have a bit of time off. Now don't brand me as a unromantic boor but the more time you spend in this city the more you realise that the only thing Venice is there for is tourism. Yes people live there but the shopowners have to live somewhere...

St Mark's cathedral

I took a date out for dinner once and we sat in a quaint little restaurant next to the grand canal. The restaurant closed at 22:00 and we sat down at 21:15, ordered a bottle of Santa Margarita Pinot Grigio(Awesome wine to the wine lovers out there).
The waiter opened it and we placed our order. I ordered a spaghetti Carbonara(when in Rome) and it came in not even 5 minutes and the glutenous glump of glop I got was pitiful. The Waiter then goes back inside and starts closing up the shop, putting umbrellas inside etc.
Once we had finished he rushed out and offered us the dessert menu and coffee. We hadnt finished our first glass of wine yet. Half a bottle was still left.
Don't get me wrong, we were sitting in the most beautiful city in the world next to beautiful canal with gondolas gliding past us, so the whole experience did not put us off. We just sat and sipped wine and chatted the good chat. I still didnt mind paying the 80 Euro bill and tipping the waiter. It was magical, like an adult disney world(Did I just call myself an adult). Its only in hindsight that I realize I was so taken in by the place, the culture, the smells and sounds. And thats why those *&^%'s make a shitload of cash of the tourists.

St Mark's Square(Note the water puddles everywhere)

St. Marks Square from the ship when we sailed in, the tower is called La Camapanile

Hope you all have an awesome weekend... I am out of here till Saturday night

Be safe

C.B