Venice

Unlike all the days before we don't have to pack our bags in the morning. Instead we walk to the supermarket around the corner, get some fresh fruit for breakfast, and enjoy it under the morning sun on a bench at the Lido ferry port. After that we take one of the ferries to Venice. We get off at Sant Elena to explore the city from this side. This part appears to be a bit abandoned as many of the houses are at least partly uninhabitated. We stumble upon some art exhibitions that belong to the Biennale. Some parts are only accesible with a ticket, but others are free. So we get to see some pieces of modern art .. interesting..
Soon we find ourselves sourrounded by masses of other tourists. Obviously we are approaching the Piazza de San Marco. Everyone is busy taking photos and it's hard to move forward in any direction. Maybe it would be a nice place without all the people. Basically this is my impression of Venice throughout the whole day. Definitely it is a very special city. No cars and streets, but canals and boats instead. But so many tourists! I find it's a very strange atmosphere. Something like a normal city-life is missing. Of course there are no offices in Venice and probably there is no business that is not related to tourism. Houses are used for Hotels, restaurants, art galleries and souvenir shops. And those, that are still used for living are mostly in a desolate state. Piedro told us yesterday that Venice was too expensive for people to live there. Thus it remains a city of tourists.
Today a people's vote against cruises entering the Venice canal takes place. They want to make the big ships stop at Lido, because the cruisers' residues deestroy the substance of the city. We vote in favor of their request and hope that they will be successful. There is enough water-traffic around Venice anyway.
We try to find a baggage deposit for the next day, as our train only leaves at 2 pm. But there are only two places and both would charge us 7 Euro for each bag. Our bike-bags are small, but we have four of them. No discussion possible. So we decide to spend our next morning on Lido and avoid the baggage deposit.
After 10 hours of walking around we take the ferry back to Lido. As the temperatures are getting more endurable right now we decide for a run along the beach. Our route goes to a small lighthouse on the north eastern end of Lido and back. It's a beautiful scenery.
Back home we meet our flat companions, a couple from Ukraine, also tourists. That adds another question mark to our considerations concerning the concept of this flat. Probably we'll never find out..Read more