Venice, The Home of Some VERY Rude People!!

Pictures from bottom: Burano; Da Romano Restaurante; Inside Da Romano; My Risotto; These don't look like the sardines in a can!; Wayne's cat; Gondolier; St Mark's Basilica in St Mark's Square; Rialto Bridge in background; Gondola; Our ride; Venice across the lagoon from Lido;

We have arrived in Venice, the home of some very RUDE people!! It was so bad on Monday afternoon and evening, we almost decided to cancel our hotel reservation, call Rome to see if we could get a room, and leave without seeing one thing in Venice. If you ever come to Venice, have a good map, don't ask anyone anything, and bring some boxing gloves!! “Rude” doesn't fully describe the Venetians! This is the first time we've encountered this attitude in Europe, and it has really shocked, then infuriated me. One older man and I got into a “pushing contest” at a ticket window. I probably wouldn't have said anything to him, but I had already had 2 encounters and was really letting my “Lee” temper show by this time. The man literally pushed me out of the line and stepped up to the window!! Excuse me?? I don't think so! I pushed him out of line, and said , “Excuse me, but I was in this line.” He started telling me what a sweet person I was, in loud Italian words!! Ha! Of course his hands and arms were swinging and flinging about, too! Oh well, I got my dang ticket, and he got in the line behind me.
The vaporetto workers are also very rude. When we got off the train, we, along with about 200 other people, headed for Vaporetto Line 1 which would take us to the Lido where our hotel was located. This is where the Griswolds appear. We have our 2 suitcases full of Hungarian Wine, we each have a backpack full of stuff, we both have our C-Pap bags which now have more than C-Pap machines in them, we each have our mailbag pouches on, plus our passport holders around our necks, money belts around our waists (with various items other than money which makes us look about 6 months along), and I have a large tote bag on one shoulder. We squeeze onto the vaporetto, which probably is supposed to hold 100 people, with sweat pouring, and the vaporetto guy starts yelling at ME and pointing for me to move down some steps to the lower level!! I was able to make out something like “People up here! Not-uh luggage!” (Say it with an Italian accent and very loudly, and you'll get the picture!) He puts his hand on my shoulder and begins “directing” me to the lower level. Uh oh!! Not a good idea!! You have to understand, there was not 2 inches between all the people. We were like sardines in a can. I would have needed wings to move anywhere. All the local Italians are completely ignoring this scene, but the tourists have their mouths open and eyes rolling. I start acting like an Italian, and he turns and closes the vaporetto gate. End of story.

We finally arrive on the Lido, check into our hotel, and head for the island of Burano via vaporetto. Don't say “Buh- ron-o” or you will quickly and loudly be corrected! It is “Boo-ran-o” with a strong accent on the Boo. Got it! Won't make that mistake again!! This island is peaceful and quaint. The houses are all painted bright colors, 2 stories, old, with window boxes full of beautiful flowers and bright colored clothes hanging out the upstairs windows to dry!! I love it!! Matt and I had watched an Anthony Bourdain “No Reservations” episode on Venice, and he filmed in Burano. Matt, I found the restaurante, “Da Romano”!! I even had the fish broth rissotto they are so famous for, and it was great. Dad liked it a lot until I told him it was cooked in fish broth! He ordered baked, fresh sardines. Supposedly, artists in Venice found the hidden gem of Boo-ran-o and began going there to paint. Writers began retreating there, too. Da Romano was a hang-out for these artists and writers. Celebrities began hearing about it, and followed suit. Inside the restaurant are many paintings that starving artists gave the owner in exchange for a meal. There are also notes to the owner written by such people as Ernest Hemingway, Fedrico Fellini, etc. I took several pictures here. Oh, I almost forgot, the neighborhood cat really liked the sardines!!! By this time it is getting really late, and we are really tired. We re-board the vaporetta for the 1 hour ride back to Lido. When we pulled up to the dock on Lido, I asked the vaporetto worker if that was the only stop on Lido. He said, “Only stop. Lido.” and starts motioning for us to get off. It must have been the same vaporetto worker that I encountered earlier because we were the only people who got off, and after the vaporetto pulled away from the dock we realized that there were no lights except the street lights. No hotels, no cafes...no nothing except for Wayne and Jennifer!! We started walking. The Lido is shaped kind of like Florida, except on a smaller scale. If you can imagine standing on the beach in Pensacola and seeing lights on the beach in Tampa, you kind of have a picture of how we felt! Wayne was not a happy camper! I wasn't too bad at this point because I had been able to eat at Da Romano like Anthony Bourdain. I just kept saying, “It can't be much further.” and praying I was right! Several rest stops and about 2 miles later we see our hotel in the distance. Finally, we literally drag ourselves to our room. When we left the room earlier it was daylight, but now it is 11:00 PM. (Keep in mind that we woke up at 3:30 that morning to catch an early train because the Sopron to Venice ride is 9 hours.) We unlocked the room, put the key into a slot inside the door, which the bellman had told us would turn on the lights. OK, so how do we lock the dang door if the key is in the slot?? We take the key out of the slot and in about 3 seconds, the lights go out. Shit!! We can't find the key hole! We put the key back in the slot and the lights come on. OK, we just have to be a little faster this time. After 2 attempts we are cussing. After 4 attempts, we are laughing. After 6 attempts we have the door locked! This is about the time we both decide we need some rest. Shower, a glass of coke, Wayne gets in bed, I get organized for the next day, and I hop in bed. Dang, I'm really exhausted! So exhausted that I'm having a little trouble breathing. OK, it's not getting better, it's getting worse. OMG, I really overdid it! I lift my C-Pap mask so I can get some air. Wait, there's no air coming out of my mask. I turned the bedside lamp on...no lights! Where's that dang key?? Now, I'll agree with anybody that smoking is not good for you, but I sure was glad I had a cigarette lighter! Flick, flick, flick...got it!! Card in slot, wallah! Lights! Air coming out of C-Pap! Turn each lamp off and fall into bed. OMG! Did Wayne smother to death while the power was off?? Nope, one good shake and he rolls over. Thank you, God!

We slept in a little on Tuesday morning. Much needed! About noon we, reluctantly, decided to vaporetta back to Venice. Thank goodness we did! Unique, charming, fascinating! As with most of Europe, the architecture is amazing. Of course, the canals, boats (of all types and sizes), the bridges, the very narrow alleys, the shops and the people had the camera going constantly. We took a very interesting walking tour. I told Wayne I couldn't remember how long the tour was :0) He enjoyed it even though he started looking at his watch after about an hour and a half. At 2 ½ hours we boarded a gondola. (Now I'm safe!) The gondola ride was about 45 minutes, but it was so peaceful and relaxing that we missed about the last 10 minutes. Nothing like a little nap on a gondola!! After that, it was gellato time...yummy!! We walked a little, shopped a little, then headed back to the Lido. The vaporetta ride from Venice proper to Lido is about 40 – 50 minutes. We found a little cafe', sat outside, and had spaghetti for dinner. Delicious! A cup of coffee, a shower, and we slept like babies.

Again, my advice for visiting Venice...a good map and a good friend to tell you how to navigate! (That would be me!) Then you won't need the boxing gloves!
On to Rome on Wednesday.