Italian Job : Final Chapter

Venice from Giudecca

Magical Venice

The train from Milan arrived at Santa Lucia Train Station right by the Grand Canal. I just can’t believe my eyes that I am in Venice for real. I was not dreaming. This is not The mines, not Villagio or all other fakers. This is Venice. The Grand Canal, as the main artery of the city was busy with vaporettos and water taxis. The transportation system is very efficient. The vaporetto operates just like any city metros with colour coded lines, stations and interchanges. We bought a 48 hr ticket for €26. The weather when we arrived was cold but beautiful. Venice is truly unique. This is a pedestrian only city. The only road going into the city is S11 highway that ends at Piazzale Roma, where the main bus station is located.

The Grand Canal

Vaporetto (Waterbus)

Venice is very touristy and very expensive. So with our budget, we have no option but to stay in a youth hostel if we want to stay right in the city. It should not be a problem to me as, I am already used to budget travelling and stayed at a countless of hostels, but this was Aidid’s first. Sorry mate. As the trip organiser, I felt somewhat guilty putting him in such uncomfortable condition. Lucky he wasn’t complaining much.

I went on exploring Giudecca, the island where the hostel is located while Aidid took a nap after we settled in. There is nothing much going on here. This is like a new suburb of Venice. I completed my little tour around Giudecca in a little under an hour. I found Aidid was already wake up and we then went across the Giudecca Canal to San Marco.

Common sight on Giudecca

Piazza San Marco is the main reference point of Venice and certainly the most interesting. The piazza is surrounded by San Marco Cathedral, the Campanile, Pallazo Ducale, Museo Correr and bounded on each side by Procuratie Nuove and Procuratie Vecchie. If The Big Ben is the icon for London, Basilica di San Marco and the Campanile are the symbols of Venice. The final preparation for New Year’s celebration was well underway, with the stage has been set up with the lighting and sound system already in place. We were not sure whether it is a good idea to join the celebration tonight. Surely it will be packed and the temperature was way beyond comfortable.

Basilica San Marco and The Campanile on Piazza San Marco

We left the piazza and continued strolling this unique city. Its maze of streets are narrow and you can easily get lost in it. Well we did get lot, but continued walking. We were not worry because we will still be in Venice and will eventually stumble into vaperatto stops.

Venice was built on a series of low lying islands connected by bridges. The most popular is the Rialto. As a tourist city, Venice has abundance of souvenirs shops, stalls or push carts selling the famous Venetian masks and Murano glass along with other standards souvenirs. I only wanted a fridge magnet as a souvenir, but Aidid lured me into buying a 25 Euro Venetian mask. What do I do with the mask anyway? But yes you bet I did. He was so good at it, just like how he lured me into buying those 4 pairs of designer shoes, jeans, bags etc, etc. He should consider changing profession.

Ponte Rialto

On our way back to the hostel, we met Kasyah and Fadzlan, Malaysian students studying medicine in Ukraine at the vaporetto stop. They stay at the same hostel. We clicked instantly. Back at the hostel we chat and as an unofficial Rome’s travel advisor, I shared with the guys all the information about Rome as they will be going there next.

At the hostel

Our thought of retire early tonight was dismissed by them. So the 4 of us left the hostel at 11pm to join the hordes of other party goers to celebrate the New Year at Piazza San Marco. It’s started snowing and we were freezing. Even the boys from Ukraine felt the chill. The only way to cross Giudecca canal is by boat. The vaporetto we took was jammed with people. Imagine a can of sardine. Every inch of the boat was filled with people. We were pinned to one another and even struggled to breath. We were pushed side to side in a mass every time the boat caught in wakes. It was dizzying and I was imagining the worst. What a way to die it must be.

On the crowded vaporetto

The theme of the celebration was ‘Love 2009’. You are in a wrong place if you are allergic to public display of affection. People were kissing all around. We just observed. You don’t expect us to locked lips with each other do you? Everybody was cheery, singing to the tunes that filled the air and anxious to wait for the countdown. We were screaming on the top of our lungs during the countdown that was projected to the Campanile in unison with everyone else. As if someone has pressed a button up in the sky, the previously light snow fell heavily right after the countdown to welcome 2009. It was simply magical. It’s not usual for me to see fireworks and the snow at the same time. This will be a new year to remember for a long time for me.

A New Year to rember

New Years Day was not less exciting, we went to Lido (Yes you saw it right, Lido, not the one in JB though). There were around forty or so crazy people taking the New Year's dip in the festival called "Auguri di Capodanno sulla spiaggia del Lido di Venezia". This famous festival took place at the Blue Moon Beach. It was a cold and wet day. Our socks were wet and our feet numb. But we still brave the weather and continue exploring the city back from Lido. We went up the Campanile for bird eye view of Venice. It was too cold with the wind and rain for us to really appreciate the view. We took a lot of group pictures together with each of us wearing masks. Some passerby even stop and taking pictures of us.

At the Blue Moon Beach, Lido

At Pallazzo Ducale

Venice seen from the Campanile

The Ukraine boys left Venice for Rome in the evening. Me and Aidid went back to the Rialto and had our last farewell dinner while and recalling the whole trip since we first set our feet in Italy 7 days ago. We miss Italy already.

We woke up at 4.45am to catch the 5.30 vaporetto to Piazzale Roma. It was painful for me to carry one big duffle bag and another big cabin size luggage from the wharf onto the landing then the boat. The temperature was -4 deg and foggy. I even lost my balance and fell at the vaporetto stop full of people. It was so embarrassing. Couple of guys tried to help me up but I was quick to say ‘Im okay’ without even look at their faces. From Piazzale Roma we took a shuttle bus to Venice Treviso Airport. We supposed to fly to Rome to catch our flight back to Dubai at 2.30pm. The flight was at first delayed for an hour. We were worried not to able to make it on time for the onward flight to Dubai. After an hour or so waiting, it was announced that our flight was cancelled due to bad weather in Rome. What was worried turned into panic. We really felt like contestants from Amazing Race. After considering some possibilities, I texted Sam asking for Emirates no in Italy. Luck was on our side. There was a flight from Venice Marco Polo Airport to Dubai at 3pm. The good thing was we only had to pay €28 for the change of flight. What a sigh of relief it was.

At Mestre, waiting for shuttle bus to Venice Marco Polo

On the way to Marco Polo Airport

I had a great time in Italy and will definitely come back in the future. The country and the people gave a lasting impression. Italy, I came, I saw and I fell in love.

Arrivederci

More pictures of Venice here