To VENICE (Wed 27 May)

2.75 hr drive from Verona to Venice, or rather to the camping ground that we are to stay at just out of Venice (Serenissima) towards Padova. Once we had settled in we took the 25 minute bus trip from here into Venice and walked through the meandering streets and alleys to the Basilica di sans Marco and St Mark’s square. We didn’t go inside the Basilica this time as we weren’t dressed for it and were planning on doing this tomorrow. The dress requirements are quite conservative here, no shorts and long sleeves required. Had a good look around though. This place is big. Even from the outside the opulence is impressive with the gilted mosaic images. In the square I have never seen so many pigeons and everyone seems to want to have their photo taken with pigeons climbing all over them. Personally I find them to be disgusting, disease infested creatures … but that’s obviously just me.

Started wandering back and found somewhere cheap and cheerful to eat. Mid meal a guy with a piano accordion came in and played his entire repertoire of songs including (of course) ‘that’s amoure’. The only thing that spoilt the romanticism was him demanding tips afterwards. You don’t get anything for free here … even when it appears so at first.

Saw our first glimpse of a European sunset tonight … we are on the east coast. That seems a little weird.
Caught the bus back to camp and it was then that we realized quite how small our room was. The first time that we have had a hand basin inside the shower cubicle! One double bed, with room to squeeze around it … just, and …. Yep … that’s it. A contrast to Verona where we had a huge room, but a shared bathroom and lots of noise. There is always a trade off.