Dia Otto…Arrivederci Roma, Buon Giorno Venezia!

Arriving in Venice, just outside the train station...we get a boat!

Leaving Rome, I am somewhat ambivalent. There are things we haven’t seen, but none on our “must see” list. The city has so much to offer and yet it is a “big city” with all the attendant noise, traffic and the need to maintain full attention at all times. I did not relax in Rome, so I feel tired physically and overloaded visually and emotionally. Perhaps that is only because I am unused to the city now, or just the impact of life being so full of experience.

There are a few observations of Rome that have not found their way into the daily blogs, so I will share them now:

·      There are more churches in Rome than I have ever seen in any city. As I mentioned our short Via Giulia had five or six in as many blocks. Internet searches put the number between 900 and 2000, depending on many factors. It does feel like the center of Christianity, but I have not been to the Holy Land, so I cannot compare.

·      Fountains are everywhere, both as part of the beauty and décor, and as a practical way to provide drinking water throughout the city. What a gift to be able to find fresh, cold water everywhere. Our tour guide at the Vatican told us that a great many of the original cisterns and aqua ducts of Rome are still used in the delivery system.

·      A not so great experience is the number of people who smoke. It is still endemic here, especially, from our observation, among the 20- and 30-somethings.

·      While cobbles are beautiful and give a sense of age, they are slippery when wet, and dangerous and uncomfortable to walk on when poorly maintained. I fell twice and have the black and blue knees to prove it. Dennis admonishes me to get some more practical shoes. What I am wearing are flat and practical, but who am I to argue if he wants me to buy shoes in Italy ;-).

·      Finally, the Giro d’Italia – a bicycle road race, which Phil, our fabulous son-in-law, tells me that is the Italian equivalent of the Tour de France is happening while we are here. At least so far, we have seen no mention of it, but I get the sense that Rome is even more self-centred than say, San Francisco or Toronto. There is no world outside the city limits that is of any consequence!

We are in a minor panic as we leave our Rome apartment. Dennis has been to three bank machines and neither his Debit nor Credit Cards work to withdraw some cash. Hmmmm. What would we do in Italy without money? We head to the big and modern Termini station, where fortunately the machines like us both again.

The train ride to Venice is a little under four hours and passes through lovely countryside, as well as urban sprawl Italian style. In the final few kilometers approaching Venice we are on what appears to be a isthmus that only holds the train tracks, perhaps it is on piers, but there is water to both side and a large cruise ship terminal. We arrive at St. Lucia station in Venice, walk out the front doors and there is the canal and ancient buildings and such a beautiful impact that is totally unique!

We follow the instructions that Annmary, the owner of our next apartment, has given us and board the waterbus for a half-hour journey to the Giardini Biennale stop. Throughout the ride, I can’t stop smiling! I love boats, I love the vistas, I think I am in love with Venice. Am I really here? Pinch me!

Annmary meets us and walks us almost to the apartment. We pass an amazing park that feels like Paris the way people are using it as there living room, we turn onto the wide Via Giuseppe Garibaldi and meet Annmary’s son Enrico and her two grandsons, who are similar ages to our young men in Calgary.

Enrico takes us down an alley to our apartment that is charming and functional. Shortly after we finish our chat where he provides some great information about what to see and do, we take off for the 10-minute walk to St. Mark’s square. It is chilly and very windy, but I am smiling so much, so engaged by the city I don’t care.

The sun is setting. We eat fabulous pizza in a little place and stroll back to the apartment, excited that we will wake up in Venice!