The Una Venetiza (last night’s hotel) allowed breakfast until 11am so we made the most of lying in before devouring what has become very familiar this holiday: Scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, cakes, fruit and cereal. And that’s just Kate’s portion! 🙂
We board the packed water bus on this sunny Sunday morning again with ease and depart only 5 minutes down the road Grand Canal for our final hotel. The next stop is Rialto and I don’t mean for the famous bridge.
Yes, we’re staying at The Hotel Rialto, pretty much next to the bridge and certainly a very popular, busy error we notice immediately after docking. Still, no problem hustling and bustling our way through as our hotel was about 20 meters from the docking station. Me thinks Mum and Dad will like this.
I actually forget that I had booked us a room overlooking the Canal. Needless to say, this is a very pleasant surprise and most importantly, Kate loves it. There seem to be very few balcony rooms so we’re even more chuffed we have this and continue to spend quite some time out there watching people and watching people watch us.
Just look at these views!
And the room. Interesting…
A random
Naturally we visit Saint Mark’s square and the various amazing building close by. I’m no historian so forgive me for not writing any more about this stuff.
What surprises me more is the contrast of stores (shops) along the seemingly never-ending backstreets. There’s no shortage of tourist-focused shops and mini supermarkets and then before you know, it you’re consumed by a relentless stream of designer outlets and ostentatious wealth. Look down and you will see on occasion, deprived and desperate people. No different to anywhere else I grant you but I can’t help but see the sad irony that despite intentionally sat outside shops for the rich, I’m willing to bet it’s these type of people that will actually give less time/money to the beggars.
We accept that it’s unlikely we will get to experience a Gondola (financial constraints!) however we hope to get on a private water boat/taxi up the canal for a third of the price. It is also unlikely we’ll get to see any opera/theatre (timing and financial constraints!) Another time perhaps for the ultimate romantic water cruise…?
It actually began to rain during our evening meal which was actually a pleasant change. Okay, until it started raining heavy, particularly as we were dining ‘al fresco’. This, Mother, is where we put your gesture to good use, including: Fish soup, (we counted 5 different fish), ravioli, duck and cheese and biscuits with wine. Yum. Sadly because of the low lighting and now rain, I couldn’t get any good pics. Sorry.
Later on today (now Monday) we depart to come home via Ryanair. Yep, I’m nervous! If we don’t make it home, Mother please be wise with my assets 🙂
Breakfast at the Rialto was sadly a bit of a disappointment. Is it right that the single most expensive hotel during this trip was the only place to offer a pretty basic continental serving? Add to this they charge for Wifi. Not happy. If it wasn’t for the amazing balcony view, we’d have felt a little cheated.
This is likely to be the last few lines of text of the trip so thank you to those that an interest in seeing the places we visited and an extra mention to anyone that bothered to write a comment. You know it will be remembered…
Hopefully it will have inspired some of you to take a step into the unknown and get on and organise a road trip for your friends or partners – or both! As you will have seen and read, you’re likely to come back wholly fulfilled and craving your next one. If you wish for any tips/tricks from me, I can be persuaded with a combination of bottled water, preferably filtered and chilled, Swiss ice-cream and Belgian chocolates 🙂
Mother, if we are lucky enough to be granted a safe passage home and with no delays, we hope to be at yours picking Kate’s Yaris around 8.30pm give or take quarter of an hour so get that kettle on!