Before we get to our amazing visit to Venice, let’s talk about our last couple of days on the ship. We are rounding out 28 days of cruising and although there were some cold and rainy days, it was a great trip overall. Upon leaving Argostoli, we were watching the end of a comedian on stage when the captain came in over the speaker. Unlike the daily updates, he only does this for critical situations. It appears that our final stop to Ravenna Italy has been rerouted to Trieste Italy due to major flooding. Talking about having our heads in the sand. Lots of rain but had no clue the flooding caused enough damage and devastation that we had to be rerouted. 13 italians sadly lost their lives in this flood.
For the captain to make a decision to disembark us into a cargo ship terminal was an undertaking. There was only enough room for 3 buses at a time, no uber or private vehicles allowed and worst of all, we all had to take our own luggage. Of course since this was long cruise and we are headed to Texas for another week, we have 3 bags and 2 large backpacks.
Surprisingly everything went well and although we were about an hour late exiting the ship, we were a couple of hours early for our stay in the local hotel since Trieste is closer to Venice than Ravenna.
We found a cab and headed to the hotel. A very nice boutique hotel but no air conditioning. They said it wasnt the season yet. Well, it was for me! So, we opened the doors and tried to enjoy the breeze in the evening after we returned for our trip to see the venice canals.
I found a bus that was about a couple of miles down the road but couldn’t find a way to purchase tickets. The bus driver wouldnt sell us tickets but told us to get on. He slammed the doors into my behind but I didnt complain, I got on. It was an 8 Euro ride for two free.
When we arrived in downtown Venice we asked the ladies working for the bus station when the last bus was due to leave and it was late in the evening we so we purchased our return tickets for 16 euros and also tried to pay for our ride over but she wouldn’t take it.
Next we were off to find our next destination, the gondola ride. Venice is a city built on water, and the canals are its lifeblood and our trip would not be complete without a gondola ride through the canals. I purchased it on Viator and had great directions. Or, so I thought. About 3 miles of winding streets and bridges and paying 2 euros to cross the canal at one point, we thought we had the right address but couldn’t find the place. We asked several people and they pointed to a box. After seeing several people gather we finally saw the sign on the back of a box on wheels. What a fiasco.
We made it to the gondola ride and it was nice but the low tide moving through the buildings wasn’t much fun. The place is beautiful and amazing that it’s all on water. We had about a 30 minute ride and started back to the bus station.
After getting sick on the cruise with an upper respiratory infections, walking was a struggle. We decided to stop for some wonderful italian pizza and take a break. It was the best! Actually the best part of the day.
Our ride back to the hotel was easy. We packed for the trip home to Houston with an early alarm for tomorrow.
Cant wait to visit Venice on the World Cruise. Our friends have a 2 day action packed plan in place!
Fun Facts:
- Venice is built on over 118 small islands that are connected by canals and bridges.
- The city has no cars or other motorized vehicles.
- The only way to get around Venice is by walking, taking a boat, or riding a gondola.
- Venice is a very popular tourist destination, and it can get very crowded during the summer months.
- The city is also very expensive, so be prepared to spend a lot of money if you want to visit.
May God bless you always.
CHuck & Lea Ann
WorldTravelReynolds 