After magnificent breakfast, we enjoyed a video chat with Jacqueline.
We then ventured out. Each day we explore a little more of Venice.
We enquired at a station about getting to the Railto Bridge area. We showed the ticket seller our 24 hr pas from yesterday. She informed Cos where to leave from but our pass had expired half an hour ago (10am, the one we had bought at 11am yesterday) so we then proceeded to the station we believe we needed to find we had about 20 minutes left. Go figure. We took the water bus from San Marco up the Grand Canal past the Railto Bridge almost to the train station.
The lanes and canals in this part of Venice tend to be bigger. Along the way to Jewish quarter we did some gift shopping.
The Jewish quarter is apparently the first Ghetto in Europe dating back to the fifteenth Century. There is only two ways in, over a bridge and a long covered lane (buildings over the top) with a distinct entrance.
The ghetto is essentially a square surrounded by buildings which are surrounded by canals.
The Nazis during World War Two inflicted horrors on the ghetto after Italy surrendered to the Allies in 1943. As result, apart from the typical terrors contributed to the Nazis such as shooting and torture, the occupants suffered deportation to the death camps in 1943 and 1944.
The memorial (a plaqued wall with barbed wire and the marks of firing squads) is sobering. When you realise that civilised and developed people can inflicted terrors, then it likely any country could with the right (or wrong) conditions. Lest we forget.
Our next place we wanted to visit was the Liberia Acqua Alta book store ( http://libreriaacquaaltavenezia.myadj.it/v/libreriaacquaaltavenezia ). To get there we travelled into real Venice were the normal people live. It was a interesting walk where we saw church’s, squares, homes, shops and schools.
It was obviously lunch as a lot of children around. We even saw a petrol station for boats, a hospital with water ambulances parked in a canal.
We saw many grand and old churches and cathedrals as well. We visited the very beautiful Church of San Lazzaro Dei Mendicanti ( http://www.in-venice.com/things-to-see/san-lazzaro-dei-mendicanti-church/) which was a hospital as well. The church was built in 1601, on the site of a earlier church. It is well know for its amazing chorus.
With many detours, we finally arrived at Liberia Acqua Alta book store. The store is known for its gondola, 5 cats (who live there) and stacked books used stairs. 
Expensive but interesting. Like most ground level buildings in Venice, they got a metre of water through their bookshop on the 12th November 2019.
Being early afternoon we headed to our apartment nearby for some quick lunch and drop off purchases. Still hungry we decided to stop at cafe we enjoyed several nights back. One must be careful in Europe ordering food, as we got two very nice entrees instead of the planned one. Of course, a lot of cafes will offer you still or sparkling water for price (no free tap water). Another trick is they will put bread on your table which will probably cost when you get the bill. We stopped the bread but got the water. The result was two entrees or appetisers, two coffees, 1 bottled water and dessert was 53€ which sadly is cheap in Venice. Everything was divine so no real complaints. Europe is just different to Australia, so don’t expect them to play by Aussie rules, otherwise you will not enjoy the experience.
After our late lunch, we did some more exploring some back lanes and canals. We got lucky, typically (November/ December 2019 prices) a gondola ride will cost 80€ for half an hour to 40 minutes. We got offered a 70€ ride which is a bargain. We raced back to apartment, collected the good camera and found our way back to get a ride.
Our gondolier was a talented fellow who sang, chatted, and provided informative commentary while still skillfully navigating the narrow canals. He even pointed out a type of boat, young guys needed to impress the girls and go lapping in Venice.
The ride was most enjoyable as we saw Venice from different angle, however it has probably been over romanticised by popular culture. Is it worth doing, absolutely at least once.
After our ride, we proceeded into San Marco Square for a enjoyable explore, stroll and some hot wine. Our Gondolier had told us no Ventian will ever walk between the two columns with the winged lions found on San Marco Square as it brings bad fortune. He explained that during the Republic and times past, it was a place of public execution. The excuted often had their heads hung in display. Hmm not very pleasant.
From what we saw tonight, a lot of people (tourist probably) will have bad luck in their immediate future.
Finally after a eventful day we stopped for pizza at a little cafe not far from our apartment. We used the cafe for a meal back in November when first arrived in Europe, and it was great. Tonight we had two Italian beers, and shared a tasty pizza with cured meat, tomato sauce, mozzarella, and blue vein cheese. The cafe didn’t disappoint.
Again, European dining rules are different to Australia, we had a cover charge of 4€ for dining in. We have seen this charge a few times in last month (Barcelona, Paris and Venice) and it is, what it is, unfortunately. We noticed yesterday on Murano where we bought a gelato, there was one price for takeaway and a additional 50c to eat it at a table.
Expensive but interesting. Like most ground level buildings in Venice, they got a metre of water through their bookshop on the 12th November 2019.
Being early afternoon we headed to our apartment nearby for some quick lunch and drop off purchases. Still hungry we decided to stop at cafe we enjoyed several nights back. One must be careful in Europe ordering food, as we got two very nice entrees instead of the planned one. Of course, a lot of cafes will offer you still or sparkling water for price (no free tap water). Another trick is they will put bread on your table which will probably cost when you get the bill. We stopped the bread but got the water. The result was two entrees or appetisers, two coffees, 1 bottled water and dessert was 53€ which sadly is cheap in Venice. Everything was divine so no real complaints. Europe is just different to Australia, so don’t expect them to play by Aussie rules, otherwise you will not enjoy the experience.
After our late lunch, we did some more exploring some back lanes and canals. We got lucky, typically (November/ December 2019 prices) a gondola ride will cost 80€ for half an hour to 40 minutes. We got offered a 70€ ride which is a bargain. We raced back to apartment, collected the good camera and found our way back to get a ride.
Our gondolier was a talented fellow who sang, chatted, and provided informative commentary while still skillfully navigating the narrow canals. He even pointed out a type of boat, young guys needed to impress the girls and go lapping in Venice.
The ride was most enjoyable as we saw Venice from different angle, however it has probably been over romanticised by popular culture. Is it worth doing, absolutely at least once.
After our ride, we proceeded into San Marco Square for a enjoyable explore, stroll and some hot wine. Our Gondolier had told us no Ventian will ever walk between the two columns with the winged lions found on San Marco Square as it brings bad fortune. He explained that during the Republic and times past, it was a place of public execution. The excuted often had their heads hung in display. Hmm not very pleasant.
From what we saw tonight, a lot of people (tourist probably) will have bad luck in their immediate future.
Finally after a eventful day we stopped for pizza at a little cafe not far from our apartment. We used the cafe for a meal back in November when first arrived in Europe, and it was great. Tonight we had two Italian beers, and shared a tasty pizza with cured meat, tomato sauce, mozzarella, and blue vein cheese. The cafe didn’t disappoint.
Again, European dining rules are different to Australia, we had a cover charge of 4€ for dining in. We have seen this charge a few times in last month (Barcelona, Paris and Venice) and it is, what it is, unfortunately. We noticed yesterday on Murano where we bought a gelato, there was one price for takeaway and a additional 50c to eat it at a table.
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