Day 15 - FLORENCE TO VENICE

Morning of trip to Venice, had to have one more go around the markets. Went to Duomo first, didn’t fancy climbing 414 stairs (and paying 8 Euros each to do it!) to see the view when we’d already done mountain-climbing the day before. Waited 40 mins in line to see the inside of the cathedral for free – beautiful and worth the wait.

To market, to market – had a last go around the markets –bought leather goods then back to hotel to collect luggage to catch train to Venice. Waited an extra hour to make sure we travelled in 1^st class like our Eurail entitles us to! Hate to not make the money we’d paid in advance not work for us – what did we get? – a free lolly, juice and couple of biscuits– plus the man next door in the land of nod – snoring!

Arrived in Venice to find that the vaporettos (ferries up and down the Grand Canal) were on strike and we had to walk ‘10mins’ to our hotel – as usual their 10 mins is at least double that! Bear in mind also that we are lugging our suitcases with us, which also include added weight due to a recent purchase or two! Sharon was adamant that if we were going the wrong way she didn’t care and was not going back! ‘Only 1 bridge to cross’ said the helpful lady at the ticket office – (forgot to tell us about the other 7 canal bridges to cross as well!) Arrived in the right piazza, asked lady in pharmacy where our street was, she had no idea – ‘ask in the bar over there’ – well it is 10 metres from the pharmacy and she didn’t even know!!!

Collapsed on beds – an hour later went for walk to local laundromat, even the police 10 metres away from the laundromat didn’t know where that was but we found it, thanks to Sharon’s improved map-reading skills. Had spaghetti cabonara whilst waiting for our clothes to wash and dry. Sharon’s been hanging out to wash her clothes since day 2!