Carter graduates from Grade 12 so he got to pick our trip destination this year and he wanted to go to Greece. We liked the idea but there are a lot of islands so we decided a cruise was our best bet for seeing as much as possible. Our plane left Vancouver on time but we ran into a bit of trouble in Toronto. We had conflicting reports of over heated baggage handlers, local storms and waiting for refueling that resulted in a 2 1/2 hour delay. The worst part was that they put us on an hour before we took off turning an 8 hour flight into a 9 hour flight. When we got to Venice we used stairs to get off. I don't think I've done that on such a big plane.
We weren't quite sure what to expect when we got to Italy, as there is a new Entry Exit System (EES) rolling out for the European Union. Turns out it was very easy. Regular line up, picture and finger prints and we were in. We didn't even have to speak to a customs agent. Once we were through, the easiest way to get to Venice of course was by water taxi. We opted for the one that acted like a local bus but Carter was curious if we could take one of the private boats. I suspect it's like getting a limo where after so many people it's cheaper. Something to consider if we come back.
The water taxi stops in Venice tend to be permanently parked barges in the canals and the water was a bit choppy so I had terrible images of ending up in the water with my suitcase but we managed to get off okay. It was about a 15 minute walk to our hotel where someone immediately helped us with our bags and helped us to check in. The staff helped us get checked into the Venice tourism system so we didn't have to pay the tourist fee. Our room wasn't quite ready so they let us sit in the lobby eating free biscuits and they made cappuccinos for anyone that wanted one.
While we waited, I went and found my brother in a local cafe. He happens to be here to see La Biennale di Venezia which is apparently a big art show. After we were able to formally checked in we wandered around until we found the important things like a candy shop for me and a McDonald's for Carter. It was around this time that I finally realized that there are effectively no wheels in Venice. No cars, no scooters, no bikes, no motorbikes. They don't even do very many deliveries by cart during the day. it's no wonder the one thing that I had heard irritates them is the clickety clack of tourist suitcases.
Unlike other places I've been to Europe that are old, much of Venice appears to have remained virtually unchanged for centuries. As we were looking out over the tourists from the main bridge over the main canal I couldn't help but think that other than the clothing, cell phones, and a few motor boats many places we looked at probably looked the same 100's of years ago. We had met up with Jordan again and had dinner by the canal though in hindsight perhaps if we had gone for dinner at a restaurant on one of the smaller canals maybe it would have been a bit cheaper. Still a fun experience.
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