Bob Corbett's note:
EXHAUSTED and it isn't even dinner time. I wear my pedometer all the time and try to walk 4 miles every day of my life if I can. On the trip it is seldom that we walk under 6 miles and we've even be over 8 miles twice. What will today hold? I don't even want to look, I'll bet it is 6 now and we aren't even NEAR finished and are miles from home. Wheeee.
There is really no way to do it but walk or ride the boat taxies, but they are terribly expensive, so we walk and walk, however, we've stumbled on some incredible places Now, deep into the far side of the Grand Canal (opposite San Marco) we are in the university area and at a small internet point place. Outside the store some one has set up playing the accordion and it just wonderful. Lovely live music floating in this shop where we are the only two customers.
We checked out of our lovely hotel and left our bags there. We'll pick them up about 8 PM and walk up to the train station a few blocks away. We have a 9 PM over-night train to Budapest and we do have a room for three nights there, just got confirmation a few minutes ago and directions to get there in English no less. The people in Florence found this really nice hotel and at great price but couldn't get through to it. So yesterday I found it on line and wrote them. They've been just great in getting us reservations and directions.
We will get there at 10:30 AM tomorrow.
We've done about everything we really wanted to do in Venice. This has been a simply marvelous visit here. We rode the water taxi for a long long time yesterday, having purchased an unlimited 12 hour pass. And we did the trip to San Marco square and all that, but enjoyed the less traveled places today.
Especially was our visit to Fenice Theater which had burned but has been restored. It is a gem buried in a tiny out of the way area of Venice which it took us a long time to find. Then we went the wrong way and had to double back nearly 1/2 hour to find the bridge over the Grand Canal here to the university district where we will eat SOON.
Okay, folks, short note today. I'm bushed and hungry and could use a nice cold beer.
Onward to Budapest....
Bob
Sally's note
Hi Everybody,
Well, we sure got rained on last night after having our dinner, good thing we were so close to our hotel. I did learn that I will be shopping for another rain jacket for my next trip. The one I brought was some cover but both my vest and shirt were wet along the shoulders when I got back to the hotel. :)
Bob likely told you about our room here, its so beautiful, all white antiqued furniture. Lovely.
And our breakfast here this morning was lovely too. We were served by a cute little blonde Italian young lady who actually ran, bless her heart to see that all of the guests had their cappuccinos and their eggs for breakfast. Yes, we had eggs and slices of ham and salami along with the croissants, cereal and yogurts that are the usual breakfasts we have had.
Today we had two items on our 'to do' list. First we went to the post office to mail a few packages of mine. And then as it was a beautiful sunny day, we set off on foot to find (using my little 1954 map) the new Fenice (Opera House). And we congratulated ourselves on finding it, having only asked for direction maybe twice!
The small streets here, and the water canals are a bit tricky. And in some cases reminds us both of the small Greek Island Mykonos. Yes, we got turned around more than once, and ended up back at the Municipale building, when we thought we were close to the University! Ah well, we tried it again and this time we are here, cross the Grande Canal again and here at an Internet Point that I think is in the University district. Bob will straighten me out on That -- thank you.
Loved seeing the Fenice, as I said I read a non- fiction book about it 'The City of Falling Angels', and just wanted to see the new building, and the area around it. So amazing to see how close the nearby buildings are to it, and that the fire destroyed the entire building, and left the others that are a small walkway away!
Bob is busy arranging our hotel in Budapest via email, and trying to jot down the confirmation information. Both of us are excited about our next adventure there. We leave Venezia on the 9:30 train tonight, arriving at about that time in the morning.
Will write more from Budapest!!
Sally Ryan Sharamitaro
Bob Corbett corbetre@webster.edu