Getting to Slovenia in a day would have been a mission, so we planned for a break in our journey, in Venice. What a hardship!
That meant an hour or so in the pool yesterday morning, before we took the Metro to Termini, with enough time to browse and play in the Lego shop at the station too, and to buy some pizza for lunch.
First class on the 13:35 Frecciarossa to Venezia Santa Lucia was a big treat, with Prosecco, Fanta, and lovely pistachio creme filled chocolate biscuits. Four hours in reasonable comfort, the boys argued over the DS but did share it, and didn’t scream the place down like some children in the carriage! Fortunately the really expensive bits of first class have nice little compartments so I don’t think anyone actually trying to get work done was in our section.
Venice is singular. We arrived at quarter to six; Jennie and the boys went to explore while I waited for the flat owner to come and let us in… we stayed in San Polo, just across the Grand Canal from the station, which is a really nice quiet part of town.
It got much busier as we meandered towards Piazza San Marco, looking at all the amazing masks, colourful glass, and lovely pens and notebooks in all the shops.
Gideon wasn’t totally taken with it (“not really my favourite place, it a a bit smelly and there’s not much greenery”) but warmed to it by this morning. Angus wants to live there and drive a vaporetto.
The boys sketched for a while, and we enjoyed the atmosphere of the square, then wandered back to find lasagne, pizza, calzone, and all the necessities. Provisions acquired, we ate and drank in a small piazza listening to a cellist as the dusk fell.
After Rome, the peace of the traffic-free streets and squares was really welcome and calm in a way that I don’t remember from my last visit to Venice.
The room was really hot, despite the air conditioning, and after our wine I didn’t sleep very well, but the boys did and we were still up early enough for a breakfast walk and sketch.
We’d had such a great time the previous evening that we decided to leave it at that, and we’re now on the 10:01 to Trieste, but we’ll get off at Gorizia to cross the Slovenian border on foot to Nova Gorica, before heading on to Lesce Bled.
Ciao, Italia!
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