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If you haven't already read it, I recommend 'Miss Garnet's Angel' by Sally Vickers. I enjoyed it so much that I made my family follow her footsteps round Venice. My other piece of advice would be to take the water bus from the airport. The sight of the city rising in front of you from the lagoon is one you'll never forget.
If you arrive by train, walking down those steps from the station to board a water bus to get you to your hotel or whatever, is another unforgettable moment - quite apart of course from all the wonderful things you'll see just wandering the bridges and lanes of this extraordinary city.
Ciao! Mi piace molto con i tuoi messaggi. Jan Morris's 'Venice' I'll reserve at the library Neil. Hi montholon. 'Miss Garnet's Angel' isn't fiction? I'll have a look at it. Amazing how books influence you isn't it. Every time I think of Gerald Durrell's book about Corfu, I want to go. By the by, I planned to travel by omnibus from Treviso airport. The price of the water bus would, probably, necessitate me skulking, about La Serenissima, with a begging bowl!
I've, nearly, finished reading 'Venice' by Jan Morris, and feel, thoroughly, introduced not to a city, but to a favourite, elderly aunt. She writes in detail, and so affectionately about the place. Seems that fog, bitter wind, and bells are what I'm most likely to find there at Christmas though.
Was loathe to leave. Three days was not, nearly, enough time to be in such a picturesque place, where you can hear what people say outside, because there's no traffic. Nobody's in a rush since the calle are so narrow. Dustmen come and go in a barge; street cleaners push barrow, and broom. Pure poetry. 'They give you that hooded look.' Jan Morris's description fitted the porter at my hotel, perfectly not to mention a few others, yet they were all so friendly.
There's a very good Skyline Instant webcam for Venice, Patricia. Right now St Mark's great bell is chiming and the walking boards for the 'acqua alta' (high Tide) are in postion. Go via Google to Skyline, Italy Veneto. The Piazza San Marco shot even has sound !!
Love Venice. Looks like fiction or a dream. I mean gondolas - you couldn't make them up. Remember seeing the most strikingly beautiful green-eyed girl on the water bus wrapped around a fat old business man.
I only spent two nights in Venice so envy you your three. But as you say, it's not nearly enough. It's such an enchanting place. The waterways, the alleys, the foot bridges, the gondolas, the artworks, the people...*sigh*
If you look at the Skyline webcam this morning you'll see St Mark's Square under water (the aqua alta) and people walking on the specially erected walkways. Some people even walking in the water itself.
Ha ha! I've been hooked for ages, but largely only Italy. In fact I've just emailed the Skyline people to ask what's happened to one of my favourites - the Umbrian hilltop village of Monte Santa Maria Tiberina. Down for maintenace, I'm told.
As for Patricia's question 'Do I know Venice?' I've only visited once, but read plenty. For some years however, I've been going annually to Rome.
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Hi montholon. 'Miss Garnet's Angel' isn't fiction? I'll have a look at it. Amazing how books influence you isn't it. Every time I think of Gerald Durrell's book about Corfu, I want to go. By the by, I planned to travel by omnibus from Treviso airport. The price of the water bus would, probably, necessitate me skulking, about La Serenissima, with a begging bowl!
'They give you that hooded look.' Jan Morris's description fitted the porter at my hotel, perfectly not to mention a few others, yet they were all so friendly.
As for Patricia's question 'Do I know Venice?' I've only visited once, but read plenty. For some years however, I've been going annually to Rome.
Carry on Skylining. Addictive !!