Today, June 2, is
a national holiday in Italy so there are no classes today and tomorrow. This is the perfect excuse to head out of
town to romantic and beautiful Venice. I
am considering this my birthday present to myself J
I left Viterbo at
7:07 this morning from Porta Roma and took the train to Roma St Pietro. Got off and caught the train to Roma Tiburtina. Got off and caught the train to Venezia St
Lucia. I got here at 1:35. Ugh.
Again, you have the bizarre contrast of gorgeousness and hideousness
that only tourist-laden cities can give you. You are let out right on the Grand Canal and
right in the middle of a feeding frenzy of vendors and water taxi drivers and
various hooligans trying to get your attention.
It’s just TOO horrid. I looked
around… tried to suss out the vaporetto, asked the water taxi guys (60 euro…
are you out of your mind?) and then just grabbed my map and started
walking. Forget it, man. Just walk.
My Lonely Planet map was right on, with just enough detail, and I landed
at my hotel, the hotel San Giorgione in Canareggio, in about 30 minutes. A
presto!
I am splurging a
bit with this hotel, I will admit. I
wanted the full throttle, 17th century Venetian prostitute look in my room and this is what I
got. It’s fabuloso and makes me feel like one of Titian’s beauties.
I began to walk
around, looking for a place to have a grand lunch and I wound up at the Osteria
al Vecio Bragosso (something like that) where I continued my study of pasta
carbonara. For my secondi I ordered sea
bass. Venice is all about sea food. Watch how my waiter expertly debones the
bass. What a delicate touch!
Then I just walked
around, had a gelato (strachiatto and vanilla con panno)and caught sight of the typical views within this
beautiful city. I know it’s a cliché,
but really. It’s too lovely.
Maude and I are inspired by your study of pasta carbonara and resolve to undertake a similar study ourselves.
ReplyDeleteI could watch him debone a bass all day
ReplyDelete