Monthly Archives: October 2017

Italy

Guess how much we paid for this Venetian ice cream?

The answer is at the end.

Venice is unlike anything we’ve ever seen. No cars anywhere, and boats everywhere. The Grand Canal feeds lots of “rivers” that go into the neighborhoods.

Their public transportation system is the vaporetto boats, so to get somewhere we’re crammed in usually with lots of people (during the day, it’s less crowded at night) while gondolas, water taxis and motorboats with goods are all zipping around. Then you get off and walk the maze of pedestrian lanes that vary from 15 to 6 feet wide. But you still feel the water below you from the rolling vaporetto. Most walking trips include a vaporetto ride just to get across the Grand Canal since there are only 3 bridges across it.

Approaching a vaporetto stop, on the right, along the grand canal.
We’re probably the only people who’d get excited about seeing kayakers in Venice!
This is getting to be a thing, we saw Bradonia in New Zealand, a bar in Volterra with double d chandeliers and Venice’s Bacaro Jazz Bar is similarly decorated.
In keeping with the high rent theme…a Big Mac is 8.10 euros ($9.50).
Bacari” bars away from touristy areas offer inexpensive drinks and finger food in the early evening. Wine’s 2-3 euros and a “cicchetti” toothpick munchie is 1 euro or so. They attract crowds of pub crawling young locals who don’t have to worry about driving home.

A freebie at Piazza San Marco are the dueling bands at several restaurants. Four piece combos are set up on the piazza, a seat at a table comes with a 6 euro band charge, but standing and swaying to the music is gratis

And now the answer you’re waiting for!
The ice cream was 19.50 euros (about $23.00) no kidding. But we had it at Caffe Florian which has been a Venetian institution since 1720, it’s totally beautiful, and a band plays outside as you eat.