An unexpected pleasure - Venice

  Venice, Veneto, Italy
Thursday, July 3, 2008

Hello again,

We didn't expect to have a stop over in Venice but that's the way it worked out. We boarded our train at 17.00 and it left bang on time for a change! We found our cabin and, panic over, we were in the same cabin. We were sharing a 3 berth between us and had a cute wee sink and complimentary bottle of water and funny wee cake each. I was very impressed but then I am from Livi

Annette in train cabin

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We were on our way for about one and a half hours when something terrible happened. The train hit a woman at a level crossing. She was a pedestrian and must have thought she could get across before the train. Apparently she was alive but they had to amputate her leg. It was difficult to get the story but the fire brigade and ambulance were there within a couple of minutes and we were on our way within the hour. It was very upsetting.

Helen toasts the chef

Later on, after things had settled down and we had settled down we went to the dining cart. It was very different from Scotrail. It felt a bit like being in somebodies kitchen. We ordered goulash which was obviously home made and it was great.

Annette gets her goulash

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We headed back to the cabin to settle for the night and Mum went to bed. At this point, the border checks started! All the cabins were unlocked for checking and the empty cabin next door was open. I had noticed that the water bottles in the cupboard next door were banging against the wall every time the train braked so I nipped in and hid them under the duvet on the bed when the steward wasn't looking. So far so good. Anyway the passport, customs and police check number one went by okay.

At the next stop a bunch of Australian people came on board completely obsessed by the fact that they didn't have a private WC. The strains of "what no WC, Frank?" rang throughout the wagon as they seem to have forgotten that the word sleeper applied to more than them. Actually it was better than watching the telly. We saw them trying to open the handle of the connecting door between our cabins thinking it was a toilet. I will always wish that it had opened just to see their faces when they saw us! I would have given even more money when they discovered the water in their bed.

Anyway after another two border checks which consisted of around 6 people peering in the cabin at you when you're half asleep. (I reckon they just go up and down and then wait for everyone to go back to bed and do it again for a laugh) we got off to sleep for about 5 hours.

Our driver must have gone like the clappers cause we made up time and arrived in Venice at 07.15 as expected.

We donned our rucksacks and explored Venice.

Annette and Helen on Rialto bridge

 

Building from the waterbus

We got on a water bus at the station Santa Lucia and went to the Rialto bridge where we got off for a coffee.
Then we boarded again and traveled around to st marks square. It was unbelievably hot!! When we turned the corner into St mark's it was breathtaking.

St Mark's Square Venice

Pictures don't do it justice. We decided to walk back to the Rialto which enabled us to take in the sight sound and(lets face it) smells of Venice. Not really unpleasant just a bit like seaweed.

Rush hour in Venice

We got back to the train station via another water bus after helping a woman up the Rialto steps with her buggy and child.

After asking around we boarded the train to Verona and were off. 1 and 1/2 hours later we were in Verona.