21 Blog Post September 23, 2024 “Taxis, Trains and Boats”
What a weird day of traveling! From the Lancaster Hotel, our taxi took us to the Milan Central Train Station, and the Train Station was overwhelming to me. I have often wondered how visitors to the US figure out the train system in places like Penn Station, and this was a version of that. However in Italy, you book a specific seat, so you can be confident that you’ll at least have a place to sit. Amtrak and Metro North in the US don’t offer that comfort. But the darn suitcases! There was no room for the suitcases. If you learn anything from this blog about long-term travel, remember this—travel light. Limit yourself to one 30 pound bag that you can lift over your head on your own.
We managed to find a space for the suitcases and we both settled in to work on the train, which was perfect. We accomplished a good amount in the two hours we traveled. The train zoomed past the Dolomite Mountains, past vineyards full of ripe grapes, past the north Italian countryside which looked very different than stylish Milan.
And then, suddenly, the train was crossing the water and the city of Venice appeared. The uniqueness of the city was startling to me. My brain has no reference point for a city surrounded by water There are no cars, bicycles, scooters or traffic lights. Alistair said this was his version of heaven. But there are boats everywhere. At the train station, as we waited for our ferry, which is basically a bus on the water, hundreds of boats were zipping around, water taxis, workmen, fishermen—everyone looked completely at home on their boats. And there’s a specific, low slung, Chris Craft type look to the water taxis that was kind of classic.
In the Adirondacks our boats are primarily used for pleasure. We might use them to go somewhere specific, but mostly, they are prized possessions. In Venice, boats are tools for work. They aren’t special. They’re like our middle of the road cars. No one is waterskiing or speeding. They are transporting people from place to place. It was fascinating to see the different ways boats are used here.
Once again, our hotel is in an excellent location right on the water near the San Marco Plaza where St. Mark’s and the Doge’s Palace are located. I just might be running around that famous courtyard tomorrow morning! While Milan proved difficult for me to do any running, Venice is perfect because a walkway runs the length of the island right along the water. I literally cannot get lost! (I know—never say that!)
As soon as we checked in, our hotel concierge helped us find an excellent laundromat about a 10 minute walk from our hotel. But before we did that, we walked around to look at this strange new world. I told Alistair that Venice reminds me of a giant Water Park for grownups. One thing to note—this is NOT an island for people who are in any way disabled or who have trouble walking. The streets are incredibly narrow—no need to make them wide enough for cars—and you have to constantly cross bridges over all the canals. You can’t go anywhere without doing that, and almost all the bridges require going up and down several steps. A few on the main drag had ramps on them, but for the most part, Venice is a series of tiny alley ways that connect to piazzas (open courtyards with restaurants and shops) which are accessed by crossing multiple bridges over canals.
And yes, gondolas were everywhere. And so were restaurants and shops. I’ve never seen so much shopping but I notice that the stores are often repeats—there are several of the same type of eyeglass store or shoe store, but on different streets.
But food and drink rule here on Venice. I have never seen such a concentration of places to eat, gourmet candy stores, pizzerias, bars, gelaterias. This makes me very happy, of course. Alistair would be happy with anything, but this is the part of the trip I love—planning out the meals. In Venice all the food places are open until 11:30 pm. Isn’t that crazy! Many people don’t eat their dinner until 10 pm, but that’s way too late for us, so we did something familiar—in Venice apertivo is called cicchetti, but it’s really the same thing. Buy a drink and get a plate of tapas, or little bites, but you only pay for the drink. It is the best deal! We shared our platter this time, which included fish, cheeses and grilled vegetables. Delicious, affordable and interesting.
But tonight, gelato was the movie star of my day. Gelato was the reward for washing and folding all those clothes. So after getting our laundry done and packed into our backpacks, I typed in “Best Gelato near me” on Google maps, and came up with Suso, a 7 minute walk from the laundromat. For those who don’t know, gelato is a type of Italian ice cream, usually made with milk instead of cream for a lighter flavor and feel. Gelato is an art form in Venice and we must have passed 3 different gelaterias before we got to Suso. And it was worth the wait! The sugar cones were dipped in rich chocolate first, then two scoops went on top. Mine were Opera and Stracciatella. Stracciatella is the same flavor I get from every gelateria. It’s like my gelato true north. Stracciatella is simple and it means ‘little shreds’ because it’s vanilla gelato with shreds or ribbons of rich chocolate in it. If the Stracciatella is good, then the gelateria is the real thing. Susa was the real thing. Finally! (And no, I did not get any pictures of my gelato, but I think I'll be going back tomorrow night--just a hunch!--so I'll get photos)
When I think back on this day, and wonder about what nourished me, all I can do is remember the astonishment I experienced when I walked out of the train station into a totally foreign world surrounded by water. I felt like I was on a movie set, or in an alternate world. My nourishment was found in the way my mind expanded to include more of God’s unexpected, unusual and fascinating creation. Water, water, everywhere!
Tomorrow we’ll tour some of the northern islands around Venice—Murano, Burano and Torcello. The boat will pick us up to drive us out there, kind of like taking the train. We’ll visit glassblowing studios (Murano) and lace making artists (Burano) as well as visiting ancient church ruins (Torcello). The only glitch is that it might rain, but people who live surrounded by water may not be bothered much by that.
What unexpected beauty or delight nourished you in your day today?
ML+
