Our travels: June 2013

June 11

Our last day in Slovenia, sadly. This country has much to offer, not the least of which is beautiful scenery.

We left Bled in lovely sunshine. Our destination, Venice. But before we cross into Italy we visit a small town, Idrija. Famous for its mercury mine as well as its lace.

Very fetching

Various mine shafts were displayed showing old mining techniques

After a tour of the now closed mine, we were taken through the museum which has an explanation of how the mercury mining industry developed and declined. There is also a display of how the lace making industry started. It is still an important industry in the town.

I took time to chat with a woman making lace with bobbins, the classical form of lace making. Such beautiful work.

The mining museum

A monument to the Partisans during WWI and WWII

Then it was on to Venice.

First glimpses of Venice

Many cruise ships visit Venice each week. This one, Wind Surf was just leaving

View of the hotel courtyard from our room

First glimpse of a gondola

The entrance to our hotel

Venetian masks adorning display cases

June 12

Clear blue sky greeted us this morning and the forecast is fine for our few days in Venice before returning home.

We have a morning tour before we are left on our own to explore. It's going to be fun.

The Doges Palace, St Mark's Basilica, watching the glass blowing - and surviving the sales pitch - we had a great morning.

Canals and bridges at every turn

Traffic jams are very common in the small canals

St Mark's Square and the iconic bell tower of the basilica. So wonderful to be here before the masses

The Doges Palace

The Lion of Venice

St Mark's Basilica from the Doges Palace courtyard

Only a few photo opportunities in the palace, this was one - the golden staircase

Real 24ct gold leaf adorns the ceiling of the staircase

View across to St George's Island from inside the palace

Walking through the Bridge of Sighs

Looking out from the Bridge of Sighs named for the sigh of the prisoners as they crossed

Bridge of Sighs from the palace with the prison in the background

The main staircase up to the Ducal Palace, the Venetian Lion looking down

Clock tower with a 24 hour clock and a digital one which changes every 5 minutes

One of the entrances to the basilica - gold leaf mosaic

Chiming the hour

Venetian masks, jewellery, glass - on offer at every turn

A Murano glass demonstration took all of 2 minutes

The 'finished' product which went back in the furnace!

Gondoliers are highly skilled. It can take up to 4 years to obtain a licence

Afterwards we wandered - as you do in Venice - found somewhere to buy a roll for lunch, took it back to St Mark's Square, but no seats. Luckily we had finished reading when the 'step' police arrived to move us on. We are not allowed to sit on the steps!!! We ask where we can sit and head off to find one of the benches he pointed to far across the other side. After sitting watching the passing hordes for a while, we took off in the direction of the Rialto Bridge.

Rialto Bridge

View of the Grand Canal from the Rialto Bridge

Rialto is known for its shopping experience - not all is cheap

Churches, canals, old buildings abound in this fascinating city

The street where our hotel is located

Hotel Belle Arti reception

Venetian masks adorn the bar

Evening on the Grand Canal

It is an understatement that Venice its a fascinating place. It is certainly somewhere you can wander and get yourself lost but can find your way out. This is exactly what we did. We did have a map but in general if you know where you are in relation to the Grand Canal, you usually find your way.

We have a farewell dinner tonight then the tour ends but we have an extra day to enjoy this amazing city.

June 13

Today many of the group were leaving to return home or go on to other destinations. We had chosen to spend an extra day in this fairy tale place.

We had become friends with another couple on the tour from Mudgee and as they were also in Venice for an extra couple of nights, we decided to spend the day together exploring. This time though not on foot, via Vaporetto. This is the local ferry system and the system is extensive. We bought a 12 hour ticket and, as advised by the information centre, bought it after 10am so we would still be able to use it after dark to see Venice at night.

We worked out we could see a lot in a very short space of time taking certain routes. We headed off to the western end of the Grand Canal from the ferry wharf at one end of our street. We hopped off at Rialto, did some more shopping, walked to a square nearby to find a restaurant prospect for dinner. Had lunch there as it looked so good, then found our way back to the Grand Canal and hopped on another ferry this time to Lido.

Cars, tankers and other large vehicles are transported via the water

Everything is transported by water - rubbish, building materials, goods, restaurant supplies

Water taxis are another means of transport and there are plenty of them too

Swank hotels line the Grand Canal

Flower boxes abound

Some small areas of green

I'm sure this building was used in the Da Vinci Code or a James Bond film

Gondoliers lining up along the Grand Canal

Approaching the Rialto Bridge a Vaporetto heading in the opposite direction

Just one of many squares

Just one of many little alleys full of residences and shops

The ferry to Lido took us along the remainder of the Grand Canal passing St Marks Square and then out in to the open lagoon area. Lido is the resort island where Venetians will go to the beach. A long thin island it has a lagoon shore as well as a shore facing the open Adriatic Sea.

It was only a short walk from one side of the island to the other. We did not know what to expect but of course when we arrived at the 'free beach' thousands of others were there before us.

Not a very attractive beach by our standards, but it makes one appreciate all the more how lucky we are in Australia.

Accademia Bridge - this was at the opposite end of the street where we started from our hotel

Peggy Guggenheim Collection is housed here

Santa Maria della Salute almost opposite St Mark's Square at the end of the Grand Canal

Leaving the main area of Venice behind

Some serious money in this city

This lovely park houses the main Biennale exhibition held in Venice

The free beach at Lido where it costs 14 Euro to hire a chair and umbrella for the day!

The 'sand' was more like eroded sandstone like we see in the Blue Mountains, grey and coarse

And, yes, they have a life guard at the beach. He's here posing with his 'rescue boat' his companion is eating lunch and did not wish to have his photo taken!!

This hotel houses a wellness centre

One of the most common forms of transport on the island though there are cars

This is the other

Returning to Venice

Bridge of Sighs from the Grand Canal

It had been a lovely day out and what great value too 18 Euro each for the day and we were still able to use our tickets in the evening to go out to dinner.

St Mark's Square, now crowded with people

A painting displayed in our hotel lobby. Only the clothing has changed.

The square where our restaurant for dinner was located. All the locals were out with their dogs and they were running free in the square and generally having a wonderful time.

A real Italian pizza

With tomatoes that have flavour

Rialto Bridge lit up at night

Bridge of Sighs

Doges Palace

St Marks Square - no they are not blue stars near the new moon, they are junk sellers firing these cheap toys in the air

Entrance to the Doges Palace, now closed. The Doge (Duke) is usually depicted kneeling. Here, in front of the Lion of Venice

So ended our visit to Venice. But there was more fun on our last morning.

June 14

After a leisurely morning our bags were packed and we sat comfortably in the hotel garden while we waited for our airport transfer.

This was a mystery, but apparently we were being transferred by water taxi.

All we had to do was wheel our luggage to the appointed wharf at the end of the street and wait. This we did well before the appointed time. On this day there was actually a ferry strike, but it seemed to make the Grand Canal even more chaotic with every other form of transport being taken by visitors to the city. Our water taxi finally arrived and with luggage on board we were off.