Zurich to Venice

This morning, I got a 6:15 wake up call, and I felt rough. After grabbing a fresh roll on the way out the door (they'd just been delivered), I made it to the 7:04 to Milano Centrale. The Zurich to Milan train was in good shape and fast.

When I got to Milan it was warm and humid. The IC train to Venice was way over capacity. People were sitting on their bags in the passageways. I walked through one car of that and got right back off. The IC train did not require a reservation so it was cheaper and therefore packed. I got in a long line at the Billeteria and made a reservation for myself on the 11:55 which did require reservations. I even turned down a different train around the same time because I knew it would be full too--it was cheaper than the 11:55. The difference was small, like total of 8.00 Euros instead of the 15.00 Euros I paid for the reservation, but it worked like a champ. I had time to get cash and scarf down a salami sandwich while I stared down the automatically updated train timetable waiting for the 11:55 gate number to show up. While I was sweating and chewing my dry sandwich, the gate number for the 11:55 popped up, and I hopped on. The train was about one third full--perfect. When we rolled in, I checked my backpack and walked out of the train station and into the Venice experience.

It was balmy with a scent of brackish seawater, and the Grande Canale was smack in front of me. People crammed on the waterbuses while others sat on the train station steps soaking up the sun and enjoying the atmosphere. I got a 24-hour pass and took Vaporetto #1 to the Lido. Riding along the canal, I quickly gave up trying to identify the key buildings in the book.

A beachy mist hangs in the air here and the water is a pale green, almost turquoise. The boat's diesel ground away and we made stops all along the canal on both sides while I checked out the buildings and bridges, some of which were being repaired to prepare for the high season. Most were slowly elegantly decomposing, but in a strangely beautiful and comforting way. All the buildings have different ages and many are in a state of disrepair. I think the water contributes to the weathered look of these buildings. That and the fact that everything is hundreds of years old.

At the Gallerie dell'Accademia I got off and scoped out a few hotels. Finally, I found the one I really wanted, the Locanda Orseolo near San Marco, and they found me a room for the night. Apparently, all the hotels fill up in Venice, especially during the busy season which was just beginning.

After taking Vaporetto #1 all the way to the Lido, I found a seat up front and rode it all the way back to the train station to get my bag. I had great views of everything along the canal. I got my bag and managed to get a seat facing backwards for a different canal view. When the boat rounds corners, the buildings in the distance blend together in the sea mist. All the buildings are so intricately designed and densely packed. Couple that with the different styles and conditions of each building and things get blended together visually in an organic way--not at all like some of the structural steel and glass cities you see nowadays. I got home and went right back out.

The street layout is crazy. There are no cars, which is great, but it's not a grid, and since the canal goes through the city in a backwards 'S'-shape, it's hard to use that as a reference point. Getting lost becomes normal quickly. You get used to it and actually kind of enjoy getting lost once you start discovering all these new and beautiful squares and buildings.

The folks at the Locanda Orseolo put me on to their new location near the Rialto Bridge--the Al Ponte Antico. The Rialto is not as busy an area as San Marco, but still extremely popular. I checked out the new location on my way to dinner at an excellent little ostaria that they mentioned--Ostaria Antico Dolo.

Afterwards, I got lost of course, then made it home. B--- at the Locanda noticed that today was my birthday.