h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I wrote a long journal entry on this subject yesterday, copied it in case something went wrong, and posted it. Except it took so long it didn't post, and it had gone from my clipboard too. So this will probably be a somewhat shorter version.

Last week, I headed off to Venice for a few days with my parents. This was my first holiday since the summer I started uni 3 years ago.

Sunday - arrived late afternoon and caught the waterbus (there are no cars in the main parts of Venice, public transport is all by water) to St Mark's Square. After dinner we walked around the square. It's lit up at night and the musicians that play at the cafes there (so they can charge ridiculous prices) keep playing until late in the evening.

Monday - went to the Doge's Palace including a walk to the prisons across the Bridge of Sighs, the Rialto bridge and the Basilica of St Mark's. It's built in a very Byzantine style and the ceilings are govered in stunning golden mosaics.

Tuesday - we went to San Giorgio Maggiore, a small island with a large church and monastery. We looked around the church then caught the lift up the belltower which provides fantastic views of the city and the lagoon. We walked through some of Dorsoduro, San Polo and Santa Croce, three of the six sestiere or areas of Venice. We bought masks as a souvenir (I wanted a full size on but the only one I could find that I liked enough was about four inches long) and had a quick wander around the Jewish ghetto. This is the world's first ghetto and the one from which the name originates - it comes from a Venetian dialect word meaning 'foundry'. We caught a waterbus down the Grand Canal to admire all the pallazzi and then went around the Amerigo Vespucci, a half sail, half steam ship that the Italian navy uses to train cadets.

Italian sailors... ...ahem.

Wednesday - we wanted to go to Murano, an island in the lagoon where the famous Venetian glass is made, but looking in the guidebook before we headed out revealed that the glass museum was closed. Instead, we went the naval museum (astonishing value, €1.55 for four floors worth of exhibits) and walked down to the old gateway entrance to Arsenale, the shipyard where the powerful fleet of the Venetian navy was built. It is still an Italian naval compund, so you can't go inside, but they were hosting a symposium of Black Sea and Meditteranean naval powers so there were even more sailors and the military police.

Then we headed to Ca Rezzonico, an old pallazzi decorated to look as it might have done in the eighteenth century.

Thursday - we went to the Museo Correr (history of the Venetian Republic), and had a quick look at the Archeaological Museum and the Biblioteca Marciana which join on to it. Then we had to head back to the airport.

All in all, it was a great trip. Anyone interested in photos can find some of the best ones on my flickr page http://www.flickr.com/photos/elentari86/ (feel free to add me as a friend if you like) and those of you who are my friends on facebook will find rather more pictures on there.

Fantastic pictures Elentari, thanks

I was attracted to your posting because as it just so happens Mrs d and I have just spent a week in Venice, (last August). It was quite something, and we toured round most of the spots you mention.

I took the liberty of looking at your other photos on Flikr. I have to say that you've got quite an eye for a photo. They're really first class. Thanks for sharing them.

Deke

Thanks, Deke and GB, I appreciate that! Which was your favourite place in Venice?

I think probably the favourite place was the waterfront off San Marco. The views in any direction were spectacular. The walk towards the Castello district was really pleasant. The square was quite something too, but it was always too crowded no matter what time of day. We spent three days over on the Lido too. That was a whole lot less busy just flaking out on the beach.

On arrival at Marco Polo airport we made a spectacular faux-pas. Not knowing our way around we waited for almost an hour in the taxi rank and it wasn’t until our turn came that we found that there aren’t any cars on the island. I thought the driver was just being ‘unhelpful’ when he refused to take us and pointed at the water taxi. We eventually found our way via the Vaperetto and had to lug two cases across the Piazza to the hotel.

The Rialto bridge was festooned with a banner, not quite the thing for one of it’s major attractions but all round I got some fairly good piccies. Didn’t buy a mask or any glass though.

Deke

Yes, fantastic pictures.

My husband's family is from the Veneto area/Slovenia and most of them live 20-30 km from Venice, so every time we visit, we have a day's walk-about in Venice.

I also have been with my parents when I was young. Once, when my dad exhibited at the Biennale, and once, when he bought glass stones at Murano to make mosaics. The apprentices at the glass factories were my .

Also I have spent several holidays at the penisula north of the Laguna and have visited all the small islands. Burano is a small but kind of cute village with canals and lacemakers.

Sorry, I do go on. Thanks for listening.

Facebook, eh - then I should know your real name to become a friend.

If you are interested mail me at tartaronne at yahoo dk.

Dear Elentari,

Thank you for your kind comment. I am sorry that we were advised that the thread was for Frenchbean's Mum. i wonder how else one could meet if one did not "intrude" - I do not-think that is the right word.

If I meet someone whom I have not met befpre, I always go their home page to see what interests we share, and also to get to know them.

Your article on Venice was absolutely "fantastico". !! I have never been to Venice, and probably at my age I never shall. I have French cousins who go to Venice every year for the music festival and they are just as enthusiastic as you are. Thank you for making it so vividly living and stimulating. You even went on the boat taxi.1 The history of Venice I seem to remember is fascinating. I see that you invite us to put you down as a friend. I have looked at your photographs, so am now putting you down as a freind. Thank you.

Being virtually housebound I really am able to live through my wonderful friends on h2g2.

Bless you and thank you.

Christiane
AlsoRan80

Dear GB,

This is exactly what I mean when I say that there is no longer any date.

You wrote this reply to Elentari and Deke on Oct. 18th 2008. that makes it perfectly clear.

I do not think that Posted yesterday etc. etc. does make it clear for the useful reference in the future.

I think I am gurning into a Grumpy old lady and the sooner I leave the better. !!

With affection
Christiane
AR81

Christiane, recent postings say "Yesterday" or "Last week", but as time goes on, they change to the actual date. If you come back to this conversation in two weeks time, you'll see the actual date at the top of your posting.

This is the way it has always been on h2g2 since I joined it in 2000.

Thanks for coming over, AlsoRan80. You're welcome in my space anytime.