This App does not like me

5/10/12:

So I wrote a Pulitzer prize worthy blogpost last night and wouldn't you know it .... This crap-tastic app lost it. So this post isn't going to be as wonderful :(

Today was a travel day which 1 month ago meant walk, sweat, bus, another bus, sweat, walk, tuk-tuk, pass out from dehydration. In Italy it went something like this:

Walk to local bus, pray it comes, take local bus to Como. Take train south to Milan. Take metro 3 stops to central train station then get on 1305 train to Venice. During our stop in Venice we managed to eat some seriously delish pizza, find a bathroom (it really is a small victory sometimes to find these) and located an elusive supermarcato.

Our train to Venice was fab! We had a small table between us, kinda like a picnic table and a nice dude came through at one point selling coffee and snacks. I figured Trenialia (the train company) needed some extra help so I went ahead and got a yummy cafe! 3'ish hours later we arrived in Mestre which is on mainland Venice. We're using airline miles for this hotel and the only ones we could afford are in Mestre. But this is actually good because we're away from the camera toting, fanny pack wearing monsters who inhabit the Venetian islands.

Our hotel is seriously sweet. Like ritz Carlton sweet. Ok not that nice but close. We even get robes!!!!! What what!!!! Anyhow, checked in, dropped our stuff off and headed into Venice via the train (only €1.10 each).

Exiting the train station we're greeted with the grand canal for the first time. Awesome!!!! We're also greeted by about 6000 hungry tourist monsters crammed into all the teeny tiny roads. We walked all the way to St Mark's square where I fainted from the sheer beauty of it all! Not really, but it is amazingly beautiful. The square is lined with restaurants and mini-symphonies, St Mark's basilica commands one end while some ancient buildings close off the rest. There's an awesome clock tower which is apparently the first digital clock in the world. It changes every few minutes and sure does have that 80's digital clock feel.

Had gelato and less than yummy pizza and walked around until heading back around 11 PM.

So far Venice seems like a living museum with the few actual residents only working in the tourism industry. Not much else going on in the city. Every square inch of ground floor space is taken up by either a restaurant, gelateria or silly trinket store Its also very very expensive. But that's to be expected in a place like this.

Tomorrow we'll head back and do the 'inside' sights.

Pics:
1) me with my cafe (only €0.80)!!!
2) The grand canal.
3) St Mark's Basillica and the Doge's palace.
4) Our first view of Venice out of the train station.
5) Carolyn holding up the Campanile Tower. She's doing a great job!
6) Campanile Tower, after Carolyn held it in place.
7) Mrs Blue in Venice over a random canal.
8) Bridge of Sighs near the Doge's palace.