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If you are tired of traffic jams, pollution and the mad hustle and bustle of city life, this is your ideal getaway. Better still, if you love to shop and eat and want to enjoy them in a romantic setting, there is no better place to be. So what am I doing here? I had no idea when I planned the visit. It became clearer when I emerged from the train station after a 4-hour journey from Rome. When we asked the lady at Tourist Information for directions to our rented apartment, her reply intrigued me: "Take a water taxi or walk." What happened to bus, taxi or the tube which we are so familiar with in most cities? They don't have them on the island. This is truly a unique city. We were not sure how far we had to walk, so we took the water taxi. The first look at the Grand Canal flanked by houses on both sides took my breath away. It's beautiful. Here's where I started thinking about the James Bond movies which were shot on location here -- From Russia With Love, Moonraker and the most recent one Casino Royale. And all three feature the different Bonds -- Sean Connery, Roger Moore and Daniel Craig. The water taxi works like the stage bus with stations along the way. Like the bus system in Rome, you are charged for a time duration. Now compare the two fares: Rome bus fares: €1.50 (RM6.40) for 100 minutes Venice water taxi fares: €7 (RM30) for 60 minutes That is why you are advised to walk in Venice. Take a water taxi only when necessary.
Forget about the gondolas. It may be romantic but they can be very expensive. Depending on the route and the time, they can cost you as much as €100. For that price, they should serenade you but I didn't see that here. Visit The Venetian casino in Macau for a cheaper gondola ride. It was dark when the water taxi arrived at our stop even though it was only 4.30pm. That's because it's winter. The walk to our apartment would take us through back alleys and dimly lit narrow streets. "Looks like the setting for a Jack the Ripper movie," said my son David. He got us worried for a while until we saw some young girls stroll by. We felt a bit relieved and a little silly. So Malaysian, right? Things look so much brighter the next day as we set out to explore the city. Venice is like one whole big shopping mall. There are shops in every street and the pride of the city, Murano glass items, are available everywhere. Goods to the shops are transported by push carts. I was amazed at the skill of the handlers in moving the carts up and down the stairs of the cobbled streets. The city is very pedestrian friendly. I did not even see a single bicycle, so you can walk around without fearing that you may be knocked down by one. As we had only one full day, we skipped the Murano glass factory and the other museum tours. I am sure I would enjoy that very much but that has to be reserved for another visit.
We just limited ourselves to the Piazza San Marco which is very popular not only with the tourists but the pigeons as well. Remember Roger Moore driving his amphibious gondola right up to the square in Moonraker? On the way to the piazza, we had to pass the iconic Rialto Bridge, the oldest bridge spanning the Grand Canal. The view from the middle of the bridge is fantastic. Fortunately, this is the off-peak season, so there is room for us to enjoy this experience. Surprise! Surprise! There were no American tourists here. Or at least my ears did not detect them. I wonder why? It's not that they love Venice less but I guess they love Rome more. Besides avoiding the crowds, I was told winter is a better time to visit because the canal stinks in summer. At the piazza, we went inside the San Marco Basilica for a quick tour. This building, a fine example of Byzantine architecture, is undergoing restoration work and is poorly lit, so we cannot fully appreciate its beauty. The basilica's bell tower, Campanile di San Marco, is another famous Venice landmark. It rises to 98 metres, so if you have no problem with heights, you should take the lift to the top. I am sure the view must be breathtaking but I was running out of time and we had to skip that too.
However, there was one experience we did not want to miss. Cafe Florian. Set up in 1720, it is the oldest cafe in Italy. The cafe has retained the "old world" charm with its decor and service. If it was not so cold, I would have preferred a table outside at the corridor, listening to the soothing piano and violin music. The inside ain't bad either. It's very cozy and relaxing. I like the marble top tables used in the cafe. So what did we have? Gelato. What else!! But it's gelato served by formally dressed waiters, coat tails and all. It's getting dark again when we left the cafe and headed back to the apartment. Again, we passed by a number of dimly lit streets. But we were braver this time. One street looked particularly dangerous but we were drawn by the shop at the end of it. It's a Chinese restaurant. After a week of Italian food, fried rice sounds heavenly, at least to one of us. The next day, we have to catch a plane to London, but how do you get to the airport? There is only one way out. Walk to the nearest water taxi station and get a ride to the bus station. We felt a bit relieved when we caught sight of buses, cars and airport taxis. It's back to vehicle noises, traffic jams and pollution. Not exactly what I like but it is what I am used to. Ciao.