Venice, just arrived

Old Aug 17th, 2014, 10:06 AM
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Venice, just arrived

Staying at Locanda Orseolo. Really liking this place! I don't recall who on this forum suggested taking a private water taxi to reach the hotel's water door. We did it and it was an absolutely fabulous way to enter Venice!! 120 euros! Worth every penny!

We also wished we had dropped bread crumbs to help us find our way back to the hotel! Haha. Maps in hand, we still had a difficult time finding it, until we got back to St Mark's Square.

Venice is crowded, especially along the grand canal. Our hotel room is very quiet. I would stay here again.
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Old Aug 17th, 2014, 10:11 AM
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Buon arrivato a Venezia, simpson.

hope you have a fabulous time getting lost in Venice.

how long do you have?
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Old Aug 18th, 2014, 11:31 PM
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Must report on the glorious weather we're having! Temps in the upper 70s during the daytime. I had expected hot and humid! Boy, did we luck out, weatherwise. Still liking the Orseolo. Only recommendation I would make would be canal side room with lots of natural lighting. We do not have a view from our room, and window treatments make natural light almost an impossibility. Also, no elevator here, and 3rd floor room is a hike! I would ask for canal view on lower floor next time. Staff here are all very helpful! We were directed to a great pizza place last night.
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Old Aug 19th, 2014, 02:43 AM
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Lucky you with the weather - keep the report going!
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Old Aug 19th, 2014, 03:02 AM
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An elevator for the third floor, are you wimps?
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Old Aug 19th, 2014, 03:16 AM
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Bel tempo for sure for Venice. Swimmers and tomato eaters have been made sad, but as a friend on mine in London once remarked, "Climate change won't necessarily be bad for everybody." Tourists sightseeing cities have been the big winners of this abnormally cool summer in Italy.

(annhg, I'd go for "ben arrivatl" -- assuming at least one of the simpson group is male.)
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Old Aug 19th, 2014, 03:37 AM
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(bilbo, I had the same thought, but I am already in trouble in another trip report thread for saying something other than "wow! you rock!", so thought I better skip it. In my case, adding a smiley face won't make a difference.)
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Old Aug 19th, 2014, 05:31 AM
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sandra - for some reason I'd assumed simpson was a solo male - silly me. and I took the "buon" from other phrases such as "buona giornata", but it may depend i suppose on whether you're talking italiano or veneziano.

i think you do yourself down - your comment on the other thread went a lot further than saying something other than "you rock". Bilbo's comment here I took as being humorous, BTW, whereas yours on the other thread most definitely wasn't.
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Old Aug 19th, 2014, 07:40 AM
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Busy day today! I love traveling without a set plan. Spur of the moment decisions can be fun.

We (we are two female friends) started at Academia museum which we enjoyed. We are not into more modern art so skipped Guggenheim.

This is where the spur of the moment decisions start. The vaporetto dock is directly in front of Academia so we took a boat out to the Lido. I must say, the beach does not impress me. St Pete or a beach in Maine would be my first choice.

After the Lido, we took the vaporetto to Rialto Mercato. Venice has really lovely leather bags at very reasonable prices. I have managed to pick up a few! I was looking at a nice leather duffel for my hubby when a stranger said that Florence leather is better???

So I have to ask the Italy experts here, is Florence leather better?? We are heading there tomorrow.

Time for gelato after our shopping. Then a vaporetto back to St Marks and our hotel.

Re: no elevator, we're doing OK, but I'm no spring chicken. My travel friend is a good 25 years younger than I. I told one of the desk clerks that I want first floor canal view next time!

Soon time for dinner. Probably pizza or pasta and some lovely Italian red wine. Grappa for dessert!
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Old Aug 19th, 2014, 08:33 AM
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Ben [or buona] arrivate then!

if you have found something you like at a price you can afford I would say, get it. you never know what you'll find in Florence and what you do see there may be more expensive. or imported. or...
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Old Aug 19th, 2014, 09:24 AM
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simpson

The bright side of the upper floors and no canal view is fewer mosquitoes to keep you up at night!

If you will be in Venice one more night try a sgroppino for dessert.


Annhg

The more relevant salutation to look at would be "benvenuti".

As to the other matter I do have a hard time finding the humor in a trip report that begins with the tourists expressing a desire to hit an Italian child they feel was disturbing their vacation. And a hard time containing my anger at them. I see a lot of people here think the pair is adorable but I find their unwillingness to actually talk to Italians when they are confused about what is going on and then come on the internet trying to paint Italy as a place full of fools where nothing works as advertised tiresome as can be.
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Old Aug 19th, 2014, 10:01 AM
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Oh, I just noticed this. Have a great time, Carol!
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Old Aug 19th, 2014, 11:28 AM
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Hi Kathie! Yes, having a wonderful time.

Interesting thing about Venice is the cover charge added to a bill. We had gelato at Cafe Florian on St Mark's Square and paid 6 euros cover charge each for the live (small) orchestra....that plays very enjoyable music BTW. Worth it.

I don't believe we paid a cover charge last night at A.Giughetta pizzeria behind St Mark's Basilica. We dined outside. Very pleasant. Tonight we dined outside at Rosa Rossa and paid 5 euros cover charge each, but for what? No music. Must have been just for getting an outside table.

Not consistent.
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Old Aug 19th, 2014, 12:30 PM
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The more relevant salutation to look at would be "benvenuti". >>

except that they are there and I am not, so I can hardly say "Welcome to Venice", can I ?

[Sandralist, I am really beginning to think that you have a tendency to take things over-literally, hence your admitted inability to understand when others are writing humorously].

>

simpson - I am guessing that this is your first visit to Italy. not being consistent is a way of life in Italy - you are in the land of the "opportunista". [the person who makes the most of any opportunity that comes his/her way]. Before sandralist shouts me down in flames, this was the thrust of a whole morning's lessons from a teacher [italian] at the first language school I went to in Tuscany. so my advice would be to let such things pass you by. The italians take a relaxed attitude to such matters so your enjoyment of Italy will be greater if you do the same.
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Old Aug 19th, 2014, 12:51 PM
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Wow, C.S., you sure do get around! Enjoy every moment of Venice, it's a city unlike any other. And be sure to get lost; that's my favorite part!
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Old Aug 19th, 2014, 12:58 PM
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Leather, firstly most of the best leather working machines are made in Italy. However much of the best leather comes from Spain and merely renamed "Italian". What you will find is that there is a lot of leather being sold in tourist spots and Venice is a big tourist place.

There are a lot of leather shops in Florence.

If you are buying then avoid the front street stores, the "weloming fellow", anywhere with well known brands or any airport shops
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Old Aug 19th, 2014, 11:17 PM
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Mr_go, we've been "lost" several times! Haha!

Annhig, this is about my 6th or 7th time in Italy, first time to Venice. I've always been with Italian friends who are showing me around. First time on my own in Venice and Florence.

Heading to Florence today by train, somtime after breakfast.

Time to eat! Ciao!
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Old Aug 20th, 2014, 12:32 PM
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Made it to Florence. Hotel Pendini is very well located, near the huge duomo. We had a delicious meal at Donatella Restaurant (the name was longer than that) next to the duomo. We have walked around the area and have done some minor souvemir shopping. Seeing the same leather goods we saw in Venice. No more purchases.

Forgot to mention that we took the water taxi from our Venice hotel's water door to the train station for our trip to Florence. Worth the splurge!
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Old Aug 20th, 2014, 12:35 PM
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Forgot to mention that wifi at Pendini is quite pathetic! Hopefully the breakfast tomorrow helps make up for that. Front desk is so-so as far as being friendly. I think Venice and the Orseolo will win the "charming" comparison over Florence by a wide margin!
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Old Aug 20th, 2014, 12:56 PM
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Skipping Peggy Guggenheim is a big mistake.

It is worth visiting just to see Marini's Angel of the City.

A glorious Chagall, Brancusi's Bird, a roomful of Jackson POLLOCK's, and Joseph Cornell boxes are amongst the treasures of this great museum.


Thin
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