The train from Firenze (Florence) to Venezia (Venice) we intended to take was leaving the station at 11:40 AM. We couldn’t book tickets online the night before, as the website wouldn’t accept any of our American credit cards. We checked out of the hotel (I wrote in the registry book, since we really liked our room) and made our way to the train station, arriving by about 10:40 AM.
The self-service ticket machine wouldn’t let us buy 2nd class tickets for the 11:40 AM train, so we bought 4 2nd class tickets for the 12:38 train. Not too much later, and still a high-speed train…
The four of us hung around the train station for the hour and a half in between, talking about what we’d seen, home, and the brilliant idea (thank you Kim) to check our big bags in the Venice train station and just take our backpacks to the hotel. We shuffled some clothes and toiletries into the Camelbak so we could do just that.
We were able to find luggage racks and spots under the seats for our bags this time, which made life much easier. Once again our 4 seats were scattered aisle, window, aisle, window, but our car was sparsely occupied. After an early stop, the two seats next to Andrea and I were open, so the four of us could finally all sit on one side like a group travelling together!
We arrived in Venice, checked our bags at the station, and headed out into the city of masks. It was quickly obvious that this is a very different place. There are no cars and no scooters anywhere on the islands, only people on foot and a small navy of boats, water taxis, and vaporetto, the equivalent of a city bus, but in boat form. We purchased tickets for the boat, and took off down the Grand Canal for the Rialto stop. We got off at that dock and walked the rest of the way to Hotel Bonvecchiati.
Quick story about this hotel: Wayne found this hotel on Hotels.com, with pictures that looked fantastic but a rate that seemed far too low (around $150 for the night in the deluxe room, which is approximately 100 Euro, when most other nights for the same room ran around 240 Euros). We searched around and found glowing reviews, except for one little blog that said the faucets were rusty, the bathroom tiles cracked, and the elevator small. Well, every elevator in Europe has been small, so that was no real complaint. We were intrigued, however, by the dichotomy of reviews, some showing brand new marble bathrooms and gleaming fixtures, and the one review showing a rusted tap and chipped porcelain counters. Last night we pulled the trigger and both booked the deluxe room.
Upon arrival, the lobby looked fantastic, so that meant so far, so good. Andrea and I were lead up to room 416, which was gorgeous, completely remodeled, and everything brand new. We were really happy, and the view from the windows looked out on a bend in the Grand Canal! How cool is that, and what a lucky deal!
Wayne and Kim’s room (229), however, showed a little bit of the contradiction. It was about the same size, and with another fantastic view of the canal, this one from nearly water level. The TV, bed, floors, and bathroom, however, were a bit older, revealing the confusion we’d had in reading the various reviews. The room’s still a great deal for the low price we got, and it looks like the hotel’s being renovated. The corridors and stairways between the various rooms, however, is a nearly indecipherable maze. Room 416, as an example is on the 6th floor, while 229 is down a flight of stairs from the 2nd floor. Further, some 600 rooms seem to be on the 2nd floor, and there don’t seem to be any 500 rooms…
Andrea was feeling under the weather again, so she lay down to take a nap. Wayne, Kim, and I headed out to explore Venice. I love it; it’s truly a unique place. I immediately wished Andrea was along to see everything, so I took lots of pictures so I could show her when we got back. We walked past St. Mark’s, down along the southern shoreline of the San Marco area, around though winding shops, bridges, and piazza, and finally back to the hotel. At this point we were all getting really hungry. Andrea was ready to join us, so we all went out together in search of dinner.
We wandered north and a bit west of St. Mark’s, stopping to check menus at a whole bunch of restaurants. A bunch of places not only had higher prices than we’d seen elsewhere, but also service fees and cover charges, sometimes 4.5 Euros per person with a 12% service fee. We were sure we could do better. We passed a place with light brown leather booths, lined with brass poles and a gleaming marble bar, a restaurant that looked like it jumped straight out of a mob movie, but I admit I way to intimidated (especially under dressed) to even think about going in. Wayne went off down an alley and around a corner to a seeming dead-end, but came back to tell us there was a charming little place hidden away back there. We decided to go for it.
The food was average and the service, again, sparse, but we had good conversation and decent food for a decent price. We ordered a Cabernet Franc, something unique as we couldn’t remember ever having a pure Franc before. It was very fruity, with an odd effervescence to it, almost like it was sparkling (though it was not). We had a great time, some good laughs, and we left exhausted after our long day. We headed straight back to the hotel to call it a night and get some good sleep.
matt & andrea 