Spring Break '05 | Day 4

Adjusting well to the time changes, I woke up refreshed to beautiful sunny Venetian morning. Showered and packed before 10:00a we checked in our bags in the main office after paying for our stay. First thing on the list was to visit the Basilica di San Marco with its golden domes in the Byzantine style. A stroll inside revealed the treasures taken during the crusades and relics of Saint Mark at the altar. Across the way was the St. Mark’s Campinale (bell tower) which was rebuilt in the last century with an elevator to the top. Views of the city were incredible from such a height. Adjoining the Basilica was the Palazzo Ducale. The former Doge’s Palace housed the large works of Tintoretto and Veronese as well as the seat of power in the region of Veneto. It was well worth the student reduced price for entry.

With all the sights that I had planned already out of the way before noon we stopped by a Chinese restaurant for a cheap lunch. Unbeknownst to us, they had tacked on seating fees which costed us a pretty penny for an otherwise cheap lunch. With our stomachs full and our wallets a little lighter we decided to go frugal for the day and went back up to the Rialto Bridge via the Grand Canal by means of the ferry. The beautiful bridge looked even grander in the sunlight and we rested a moment before heading to the train station.

On the return trip to Firenze our train stopped in the Bologna Centrale station to switch another train--this time not jumping the tracks with plenty of time before connecting trains. The train back was a Eurostar class train that was faster and more modern. For a good learning lesson we soon found ourselves pissing off other passengers because the Eurostar had a seat reservation system that guaranteed you a designated seat, unlike the Intercity trains we took to Venice. With a little help we made our way back to have a cookout dinner of burgers and sausages on the balcony.

On this night, Shana and Manolo had decided to take us out despite me already laying down for bed. They had taught me a few phrases to blurt out to people I meet at bars and my first test was to call up Sari and read off one of my newly learned pickup lines. After some laughs, we headed out. With already downing a few drinks at home I wasn’t in the mood to spend a lot of money out. The first place we stopped at was decent place so Dustin was the only one of us drinking as Manolo and I packed our pockets full of the free peanuts--snacks for later. The second bar called the Rotunda was an Irish bar whose clientele were mostly Americans and I had a bit more fun there, trying out the new lines. Without much fanfare, we headed home and a much needed night's sleep.

Trip-O-Meter
Activity: 3 | Energy: 3 | Friends: 3