Venice is unlike anywhere I have ever been before. We had to pay €450 just for our bus to be able to drive up to the ferry station where we got on a rickety and terrifyingly small boat. The ride to Venice was about 20mins (longest 20mins I’ve spent on a boat to date!).
The first thing we did was go to a glass blowing demonstration and that was amaaaazing. My grandad is a glass blower and I knew what it was in theory but to see the guy do it in practice was pretty cool. We managed to get lost in the shop so didn’t end up getting the sales spiel – good timing on our behalf. Most of our group then went on a walking tour for an hour. The lady used headsets to talk to us but mine was faulty which was a bit of a bummer. We still saw some cool things though…we walked through tiny little streets and across the Rialto Bridge as well is in the main square.
After the walking tour we had pizza and gelato for lunch from a street vendor. Yummy! We also discovered bathrooms in Venice suck as they are dirty, smelly and cost upwards of €1.50 each to use. We walked through the Rialto Bridge markets for a few hours buying souvenirs an searching for an illicit type of clothing we were told they are banned from selling here. I won’t say what it is as I bought two for gifts (Dad and Brad will be very excited lol) but the search and illicit whispering was almost as exciting as actually finding it. The guy we bought them off was happy as he made about €100 in 3 mins from us.
Later in the day (after more gelato) we went on a gondola ride which was a bit disappointing. The actual gondola ride itself was unique but the guys doing it were pretty crap, totally uninterested and clearly didn’t care for us contikians very much. I hope we get to give feedback on that. After the gondola ride was an optional dinner which was an entree, 4 courses of pasta and then gelato for dessert. Not to mention the copious amounts of wine! We sat with people we don’t normally hang with and that was interesting. Canadians are a little odd haha but they seem to think that about us aussies so it is all fair and even in the end. One of the boys bought all the girls at the table a rose which was sweet 🙂 After all that wine It was a very merry trip back on the boat and then the bus.
Sitting in the hotel room now we can hear some very noisy people from our group partying on downstairs. The wine combined with the pasta has done me in though! Zzzzzz.
Canals in Venice
Percy on a gondola with emma and Amelia
Prettiful Venice
Our roses from dinner
Selfie!
Mel's Travel Blog 