Venice to Athens

I'm glad I decided to get a cabin. We're getting close to Corfu now, but we haven't gotten south of the "heel" of Italy yet. It looks like we'll arrive in Corfu first, then I'll get off at Igoumenitsa for a train (?) east. Mountains or large hills are visible to the east with a layer of fog at sea level up to say 500 feet. Above that, the smooth ridge line is a pale blue fading into a misty powder blue sky above that. The water out here is a medium blue and there are still no swells that I can see. The electronic map says our heading is 130.3 degrees. We're on the Minoan Lines "Europa Palace", and it is 9:44 AM.

Breakfast was good, but it should've been for 16 Euros. Last night after I got settled in, in compartment 7-140, I went to the rear deck and stood in the wind to watch the sunset on the Mediterranean. It was beautiful. The sun slipped behind wispy clouds as it got closer to the horizon and a warm orange glow shone through. As the sun set, it turned pink and then the color deepened. The glow through the clouds looked like a large orange arm submerging the sun under the water. Then, as the bottom of the sun peeked below the clouds just above the hilly horizon, it looked like a bright red smile. I missed the Mediterranean sunrise, so I hope I'll be able to see another one some day. The coastline view is clearing up--those aren't hills I see, they're mountains covered with scrub vegetation, small bushes, and lots of bare places with streaks of sand and rock. We should arrive in Igoumenitsa in 2.5 hours then in Corfu another hour after that. We're off the coast of Albania approaching Greece.

It's now 12:30, and we're arriving in Igoumenitsa. Igoumenitsa is a vacation town nestled in the base of small, smooth, green mountains in a harbor. I noticed several European tourists on the ferry. Some people got off here. Others will continue to Corfu or Patras (like me) later today. Igoumenitsa was a nice beach town with a large natural harbor and many 5-6 story condominium buildings. The streets along the water had 2-3 cars in motion at any one time, so it was a quiet, relaxing atmosphere, and I bet the houses on the lower slopes of the small mountains have great views of the harbor. It was sunny and warm, but not hot. I stood out on the rear deck and watched the cars, tourists, and cement trucks unload. There are no trains in Igoumenitsa according reception, so I'll continue on to Corfu and then Patras.

We are now in Corfu. The Minoan Lines brochure says "Corfu has the most extensive tourist infrastructure in Greece." Corfu has an old fort on a point that appears to be from the middle ages. The buildings look older than Igoumenitsa and almost all are tan colored stone or stucco with the same white, orange, and yellow kind of palette Venice had. The architecture is much simpler though. There's another tower fortress in the middle of the town.

I made it to Patras and immediately took a bus to Athens since the last train of the night had already departed. I barely caught the last bus and arrived in Athens at about 1:30 AM. The cabbie at the bus station may have overcharged me a bit, but he helped me find a hotel in Athens and the train station at 1:30 AM--not bad for 10 euros. The hotel was a complete dive though, and my room on the 7th floor resonated all night with the sound of shrieking motorcylces from the streets below.

Venice

I enjoyed the peaceful, early morning canal view with my coffee one last time. They served a very nice salad this morning of tomatoes with basil. Afterwards, I walked over to San Marco just to sit in Caffee Florian and write my cousin a postcard, but I was unable to conjure the spirits of Henry James or Lord Byron.

Then, I mailed the postcards and said goodbye to F--- and B--- at the Locanda Orseolo while I was in the neighborhood, and thanked M--- when I checked out of the Al Ponte Antico. It was a good visit.

I think mornings are best here. Everyone else gets a late start, so the streets are empty and the temperature is perfect in April--about 65 with a breeze and that mist that softens the buildings in the distance. Tiepolo got the sky right--powder blue with wisps of almost-clouds (but not quite) above.

I caught the #82 ferrovia from Rialto to P.le Roma which was perfect. The #1 is packed and makes all the stops. The #82 goes directly from Rialto to the train station and P.le Roma without all the stopping and passenger shuffling. We had a nice easy cruise back up the canal to end my stay here in Venice.

The Minoan Lines courtesy van came and I almost missed it because the big logo said BUSCELLI, and a much smaller one said Minoan Lines. Other cabbies helped me spot it though, and I made it here to the ferry terminal. I checked in and noticed lots of cars, trucks, and construction and transport vehicles waiting for the ferry. Yesterday the dock was totally empty because there was no ferry that day. It makes sense, but it's a surprising contrast. My Eurail pass got me free deck passage and although the fresh air and shade under the lifeboats here on deck is perfect, I may get a room so I can try to sleep. I'm not sure though since it's only a 22-our voyage to Igoumenitsa. We'll see.

Venice

This morning, I had breakfast overlooking the Grande Canale. The food is simple and excellent--salami, cheese, bread, yogurt, coffee, juice, crepes, and cappuccino. I've gotten spoiled on Seattle coffee, so the cappuccinos are only OK, but I really like the simple Lavazza drip coffee in the morning. It's mild and still has a nice flavor.

Mornings are beautiful here. M--- checks in with everyone at breakfast and is a very gracious host. He is very proud of his new location and he should be. He approved of my plan to see San Rocco and San Polo in the morning, followed by the island across from San Marco in the afternoon. I left the hotel and went over the Rialto into the fish and produce markets across from the hotel. It's a huge farmer's market, and you can really smell the fresh vegetables and fish. It's very nice.

After that, I walked along the canal and saw a few of the famous buildings up close and then made my way to San Rocco to see the Tintoretto there. It was great, but I prefer Titian and Tiepolo. Tintoretto's works are too stormy and dark. Titian's works are brighter emotionally and chromatically, and Tiepolo's have even more color. I know it's not fair to compare Tiepolo to others because people build on what came before, and I think Tiepolo was younger.

Life must've been pretty good in Venice then for these artists to have the time to create beautiful paintings and architecture. I'm sure many of the stoneworking skills are lost to history and progress, and marble or stone buildings aren't likely to become popular again, but it's nice to think about a revival of those building techniques and styles.

After seeing San Rocco and San Polo, I ate lunch in a touristy restaurant in the area. It was a simple meal, not bad, but it didn't come close to the Osteria and Restaurante I went to last night and the night before. I spent hours after lunch trying to find the Minoan Lines ferry departure terminal. I walked from the Piazzale Roma bus station to 1. a wholesale seafood market, 2. the regional ferry service terminal, and finally 3. the right place. I got lost before that and ended up exploring a neighborhood on the west side of Venice near the Architectural school. Apparently, the water bus service can get you there.

Eventually, I made it back to the hotel but didn't have time to see the island because I had to wash clothes. I did that at a laundromat near Santa Maria Formosa and had a pretty good slice of pizza afterwards. I bought fruit outside the laundromat and the angry vendor said, "Please don't touch the fruit!" His wife helped me to a couple of mediocre oranges and two (hopefully) good apples.

After that, I went home, slept, and had a weird dream about a heavy woman with pulled back black hair who was behind a door saying, "No. I'm OK. It's OK signore." but she wasn't OK. She had burned her face somehow. Another more attractive woman was there with me--a dark-haired woman from Zurich with a lace bra. We could not find a water hose or a bucket in the square and we were both running around screaming in slow motion, but the scream sounded like a low alarm clock, with an alarm that was slow and sustained--"burrrummmmmrr....burrrrr...." It frightened me, and I woke from a deep sleep.

Venice

After my morning shower, I enjoyed breakfast and conversation with pretty, Venetian B--- who mentioned how they had bought the Locando Orseolo in 2003. I had a nice morning meal and a pancake (crepe) that she really wanted me to try. I enjoyed it, and she seemed pleased by this.

I left my bag there since I was moving to their other hotel later that day and then I spent the next couple of hours wandering the streets and admiring the Piazza San Marco. Incredible architecture. It seems like you could spend years studying that one square and still not see all the little details in the buildings there.

Hours later while everyone was thronging the square, I went to the Gallerie dell'Accademia and saw many wonderful Tintoretto works, plus Titian, Genovese, Tiepolo and many other Venetian artists from 14th-19th centuries. It was wonderful. Afterwards, it was time to move to the new hotel.

The Al Ponte Antico is right near the Rialto Bridge, in fact the breakfast area has a patio that is on the Grand Canale! That is damn nice, especially when you're looking right at the Rialto bridge. M--- says they spent a fortune on it, but I think it was a good investment. I checked in, and went back out to the Arsenale area for more great seafood and authentic tiramisu at Trattoria Corte Sconta. Tomorrow, maybe I'll hit the Caffe Florian. Apparently past fans of the cafe include Henry James and Lord Byron.

I made one memorable social gaffe today. While waiting for my 7PM dinner reservation, I stopped in one of the local tiny wine pubs and had a soft drink. I did not realize you could not take chairs outside and people looked at me warily. Then a waiter brusquely asked me in Italian to get up so he could return the chair. My style of dress and physical features (tall, blue eyes, blond hair) marked me as a tourist, and I felt out of place in that neighborhood.

While trying unsuccessfully to blend in, I noticed that the old dudes go wine bar hopping here. They don't sit down at these small places, they just walk up and get a glass of wine either inside or outside at the little window. Once I had lost my chair, I got the hell out of there and went to another place where I stayed inside.

Funnily enough, the same old dude rolling a Johnson 8 horsepower outboard on a dolly came by this bar too and ordered more wine. We didn't see each other until I left, because he was outside and I was around a hidden corner inside. It was a funny coincidence. I guess there's nothing else to do before dinner if you're on vacation or retired.

After the pineapple juice and tea, I was done and went to the waterfront to wait where I felt less out of place. I get the feeling the people in that neighborhood don't like tourists, and I understand that. That kind of misunderstanding with the chair would be bad in Turkey I think, especially with younger people [this turned out to be false, in fact, people were very kind to me in Turkey]. It could have been a lot worse. I decided to go easy and to stop trying to blend in with the locals.

I still don't have a ticket for the Cesme/Izmir ferry I'm planning to take, so I'm going to wing it and see if I can buy one in Ancona. I'll lose a few days if I miss the boat, but if it doesn't work, I'll save the $500 and go by train or bus to Istanbul instead. I just realized my Eurail timetable has ferry times in it to Greece.

The thermostat temp is set at 18 degrees, so I had to work the conversion backwards from 72 F to find the right setting--22.2 C.

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.

Zurich

After four hours of sleep, I had breakfast around 8:30 and talked with the sweet buffet server. She is from Vietnam and studying hotel management. Her parents have owned several businesses.

After that, I went to the train station and bought a reservation to Milano which is about halfway to Venice. For some reason the person at the train station ticket counter couldn't get me one straight through to Venice. We'll see if I get stuck in Milan tomorrow at 11AM.

In the first part of the day, I walked along the north side of Zürichsee to the Le Corbusier building which I found interesting. Afterwards, I took a nap and then took another walking tour from the guidebook that went along a canal. The canal walk was so-so. More places are closed today, notably Sprungli, so I won't be able to get one more ho-cho before I leave.

Last night as I was trying to sleep, I started to get discouraged and then remembered that I'm not doing this because it is easy, but because it is hard, like JFK said in his moon speech. Granted, I'm not traveling 250,000 miles or spending billions, but I am pretty far from home.

This morning, I got cleaned up, packed, and said goodbye to the model-like concierge/assistant manager--blond hair, blue eyes, sweet expressions when showing concern for my cold symptoms, just beautiful. Fortunately, I resisted the urge to try to make it anything other than a friendly conversation. I shook her hand and thanked her rather than asking for her email address which would have been odd and pointless.

Before bed, I had chamomile tea while sitting in the park overlooking the Zürichsee. It was a relaxing enjoyable way to end my stay in Zurich. As I walked back to the hotel, the last of the 7PM chimes were finishing from the churches nearby. Easter weekend was over.

Lucerne

It's Easter Sunday, and I have not yet risen from the dead. I'm still getting over my cold. I had breakfast at 10:30 then did some reading until about 1PM. Then, I decided to go to Lucerne with the half day I had left and was glad I did, not only because it saved me from wasting a day, but also because Lucerne is very pretty. It's smaller and quieter than Zurich and has an older feel with its wooden bridges and city wall. I took the walk in my Lonely Planet guidebook, and it was perfect. I took it easy and still saw the whole town. In the evening, I had dinner and coffee at Hotel des Alpes restaurant right on the river near Kappelbrucke. After that, it was back to the Kindli in Zurich for a hot tea and a hot shower.