I wish im in VENICE now

As per schedule, we leave Verona around 5pm and went directly to Venice for our next destination. I feel like the luckiest girl in the world for having a chance to see Venice on my birthday and thanks to my sayang for taking me there. Since we've been walking all day and its a long journey from Verona to Venice, we decided to have an early night and start fresh the next day. 

I was  a bit upset that we didn't get a chance to stay in the island itself since most places was either expensive or fully booked. We then find out that we actually can stay in the mainland and going to the island by bus or train which only took around 10mins to reach Venice. From all the review we found online, everybody suggest to stay on the mainland. So we booked a hotel in Marghera for one night because we plan to go to Milan the next day and on a tight schedule to see all places.

(we took 6 or 66 which only 4 station away from venice)

When we reach Venice, we went to tourist information counter to get our water taxi ticket to go around the island. Nico finally decided that we will spend 2 days in Venice and will only make a short stop in Milan. I was indeed happy for his decision since this is Venice and it was my birthday. So, with 36 hours water taxi ticket in hand, our Venice adventure started. :D

(water taxi)

We start at Roma station where most people coming with bus & train took their water taxi. Our first stop, of cos St Mark Square. It was an exciting experienced when we hop into the boat. Roma station itself crowded with boats and gondolas. I was pretty worry that we might collided with each other but nothing happened so i guess they know their system pretty well.  The further we go and leaving Roma station behind, we saw less and less boats. We start to enjoyed the view of all the houses, hotels and museum all along the canal. Everybody who just arrived on that day take out their camera and didn't stop capturing the view including us. The view was magnificent when we arrived at Grand Canal and for me that is where the heart and beauty of Venice.

(Heading to St Marco)

(Grand Canal)

I was so excited when i saw Palazo Ducale from far and cannot wait to get down the boat. Everything that i saw from picture and internet was right in front of my eyes and  it seems to good to be true. When we get down the boat i was then begging Nico to take me on gondola ride after we walked pass gondola ticket counter. I was so excited to do everything and end up didn't know which one to do first. Nico only can smile to see my excitement which usually more or less look like 5 years old. he then told me to go sight seeing first since there are zillion people in Venice that weekend and we can do the gondola ride anytime that day.

(Palazzo Ducale & Campanile)

It was only spring and i really cannot picture how it will be in summer. Long queue can be seen every where, from Palazo Ducale, Basilica di San marco and Campanile di San Marco. San Marco square full with tourist taking picture and feeding pigeons. We decided to go to Campanile di San Marco aka bell tower since the queue shorter and it will be nice to see grand canal from this point of view. This tower provide 360 degree view of Venice and can be access to top by elevator for EU8.

(St Mark Square from top) 

 (Grand Canal)

 (Basilica)

(morning crowd)

Palazzo Ducale & Basilica still full with people when we get down and we don't feel like joining those long queue and i was hungry.  We sat outside of Campanile, open our sandwich bag and had our brunch. You wont believe how good my mom spicy "sambal ikan bilis" in that cold weather. Its fun to see the excitement in everybody face at St. Mark Square. Kids having fun feeding pigeons, the asian take thousand of picture and the european who too proud to do the same but did it nevertheless since they are in Venice.

 (my favourite bf in front of Basilica)

(joining the crowd at St Mark Square)

We wanted to walk after brunch but finally took boat again to Rialto Station to see the famous Rialto bridge and market. We decided to walk around and lost in Venice after we see all the places we wanted to see. It seems like souvenir cart and shop concentrated here and i was of cos, lost my focus again and went shopping instead. Carnival mask was everywhere, various design, colors and prices. I bought souvenir, i love venizia t-shirt, fridge magnet, pasta and miniature of gondola here and its the cheapest from my opinion. Rialto bridge itself full with people taking picture and enjoying the view of boats and gondolas passing by. Lot of riverside restaurants here and i don't feel like recommending any of them since it wasn't so good.

 (Rialto Bridge)

(Nice view from Rialto bridge)

 (venice souvenir)

(ya right :p)

 (you cannot order pizza if you want to sit by the riverside) 

(and my bf eat pizza all the time)

(I almost die for not eating rice...lucky they have Risotto in Spring)

(Rialto Market)

(Fruits at Rialto Market)

Our first museum visit without queue will be Ca'Rezzonico. This is initially was a palace, furnished and no picture allowed in here. What interest me about this museum are their interior design. Im not sure about the history but if you manage to see this museum you can see a lot of mannequin/cupid/ (i dunno how to explain, lol) are a black guy in chain, which i never see something like that in France before.

Inside Venice alone there's few other island that create venice. We went to Murano to check their famous glass product. There's zillion of thing there and less people. If you look expensive, some people will come to you and offer to take your to their factory in Murano. We wasn't so lucky since we didn't look expensive so we went there by water taxi. We also manage to check fevvoria, bought our souvenir, post card and eat gelato there. Its nice to see venice from this side of the island too. 

It was raining in the end of the day. We still try to squeeze Basilica di San Marco and the queue is still long. We are lucky since its only drizzling and the queue is moving fast. Its free to go inside basilica but we need to pay ticket if we wanted to go to upper level. The only problem was, Nico have to run to put his bag since they didn't allowed to bring bag inside. 

 Before we went back to hotel and ended our first day, we went to Hard Rock Cafe to get few things. Hard rock cafe t-shirt is a must buy item when i go for vacation. I prefer this, so i can wear instead of buying miniature which eventually going to collect dust. Nico also already collect miniature, so i choose t-shirt and fridge magnet.

(in front of clock tower)

(Venice t-shirt in Venice)

Our second day in Venice, we went early to see Palazzo Ducale which we couldn't make it the day before. After a very long queue, we found out that we only can take museum passes and its not possible to take ticket to palazzo ducale only. The museum passes included 3 others museum and cost around 16 euro if im not mistaken.  I was pretty upset because i really want to see the place and we don't have enough time. 

So we skip palazzo and decide to check on gondola. When we check gondola, we also in shocked because they charge 80 Euro for 30mins ride. If you come in a group it will be different charges. Let say group of 4, they will charge 23euro each since its sharing. But to have the gondola all for you, you have to pay 80 euro. So i told Nico, i prefer to spend the money shopping, we will be back with the kids later and pay cheaper. ahahahahah

Since we couldnt do much, we ended up checking venice on foot, get lost and shopping. As recommended by everybody, you have to be lost in venice. You will be suprise with so many simple but nice things besides the obvious. We really had a wonderful time there, no flood, slight rain, lot of sun, a bit cold and some ok food. All in all i wish im in Venice now.