Day 9 8th Dec 2023 Piazza Saint Marco and the Basillica Post 2

 

The raised wooden walkways are up, so bad is the almost annual flooding of the square

In the afternoon of the 9th after another amazing lunch, we went to Saint Mark's Square which was just around the corner from the hotel. We could see that the raised flooring was all in place in anticipation of the night's rain. Venice is in serious danger of going underwater in the next 50 years, and the Government has put into place many engineering solutions like massive bollards filled with air to stop the eventual flooding into the many small islands which make up the region Venice.

Venice Map 

Just outside the area, there are plans by the Italian Government to put up massive bollards which will be raised to block the rising flow of water into the precint. 

We booked the St Mark's pass which gave us entry into the Doge's Palace as well as the 2 museums around the Piazza. I must warn that the Piazza is full of undesirable touts and con-men so it is best to watch your phone, wallet, backpacks and passports. In the next few days I myself became a victim of a snatch thief in the train back from Venice. 

The Doge's (or big chief) palace was really grand, the archway staircase with the golden roof was amazing. It goes to reinforce the view that the city state of Venice once long time ago (say 300 - 400 years) was a mighty force and Singapore's school books are all following the merits and management of the Venetians today.

The dome inside the Duomo St Marco 

I can say this for Venice, it has a magnificent history of trade and was a city of light and charm. Singapore on the other hand, well we are a 58 going on 59 year miracle. Will we rise above the geopolitical maneuvering of the region and still be as strong and as wealthy over the next 58 or 59 years ?

With the winged lion, the Symbol of the Venetian empire

Venice is sinking, that and the fact that Italy is swamped with the influx of foreigners coming from Africa, Eastern Europe and Asia makes visiting places where plenty of tourists flock to, dangerous. I have been to Venice a total of 3 times in my life and each visit is I experience a paradigm shift in what I perceive it to be. 

To rest on the former glories and depending only on tourism is not a good solution for economic uplift, but the state of many European countries is such that unless the young can study the right subjects like Cybersecurity and or Creative Digital Marketing for example, the rank and file jobs will ultimately be taken over by AI. This is the same state of play as in Singapore, by and large. 

Of course, if you are good at cooking and other social skills, there are myriads of jobs in the local domestic economy. However, there is the influx of cheap foreign labour from mainly Bangladesh and Sri Lanka who fill up the void for the work that is inexpensive, hard and takes long hours.  Taxes and GST are very high, so that in itself is also another point people have to take into consideration. There is no escaping from earning a decent day's work. 

In the evening, my wife found us a great little restaurant called Ristorante la Piazza and we had a lovely lobster Taglatelle and Fried Sea Bass with vegetables to share.

Flooded Saint Mark's Square Dec 10th morning

Impressive golden archway and ceiling in the Doge's Palace 

The magnificent archway and staircase entrance of the Doge's palace which leads to the main Meeting Hall with yet even more majestic frescos and statues. All reminiscent of a long forgotten and glorious past. 

 

Day 9 8th Dec 2023 Venice Post 1

Beautiful Venice 

P d G to Venice 8th Dec 2023 Overcast 2- 6 C (whole day)  

We finally reach the last quarter of this memorable trip. We have been really fortunate in that, barring from a few hiccups like no shows from travel agents and the bike shop closure on the day we were to go cycling, things had been pretty smooth sailing. Little did I know, that almost at the end of the trip would an tumultuous event happen to me in the train,that made me lose faith in the common good of SOME people. I had blogged about that incident in an earlier post, and if you have interest, please visit my post dated 

The agent has landed in Piazza Saint Marco 

After a hearty breakfast at the C House breakfast place, we took the 10.40am train to Venezia Santa Lucia station. There was some misunderstanding with an elderly lady but after some badgering, she eventually got up and left to another seat.

When we reached Santa Lucia station, thats where the fun starts. Now, as you know Venice has no driving roads. Canals and water transportation is the main mode of getting around. Of course you can walk, but lugging 20 kgs of big and mid sized bags across multiple bridges is no one's cup of tea.

We saw the same Bangla worker who carries or with his team or baggage handlers manhandles the luggage across the bridges at the water ferry station Ferrovia "A". We tried but unsuccessfully negotiated with him to provide the same service to our hotel. Apparently, it is not legal to do so nowadays. 

He offered to provide us a private boat ride to the hotel for EUR 60 which we declined. We motioned to the Ferrovia "A". Water taxis or ferries are numerous throughout the day and night in Venice, so our stop was San Zacharia, near to Piazza Saint Marco.

Apparently my Indian looking face gets me some privilege amongst the workers legal and illegal (smiling as I write this). A Bangladesh vendor selling trinkets sold us 2 day passes worth EUR 10 each and sent us on our way. We were very fortunate for this stroke of luck, because many tourists upon arrival will be muddled as to what exactly to do and buy what and from where.

San Zaccharia is about 30 minutes taxi ride from Ferrovia "A" so I make a mental note as it is best to leave with plenty of time for the water taxi on the 12th Dec - the day of our departure from Venice to Milan.

We reached San Zaccharia around slightly past noon, and find our accomodation for the next 4 nights (yes, the longest we have ever stayed in 1 place since 2016).

Locanda al Leon is all what the reviews make of it. Extremely central in location, it is "perfecto" in all senses, central location, near all the famous sites and restaurants and well managed by the Leon family and their staff. Marco is extremely professional and helpful in this regard.To reach the hotel, you alight at San Zacharia and walk about 100 metres towards Piaza Saint Marco before turning into a small and narrow side lane and leading to the Campo Santi Fillipo e Giacomo. It is just at the corner of the Campo.  

Locanda al Leon (4*)

Campo (Square) Santi Filippo e Giacomo   

4270, 30122 Venezie

The effects of global warming results in low lying places like Venice to become flooded and eventually go underwater 

 

Day 8 7th Dec 2023 Thursday Peschiera del Garda

Day 8 of Holiday

Thursday 7th Dec 2023 Very Sunny Day 15 C

This day was supposed to be the day we went cycling. Well, that did not work out as planned ! The place happened to be closed !

We woke up late, again. This is highly unusual for a high paced travel couple like us. But it did a world of good as far as our emotional and subconscious state of mind was concerned. 

As of Day 7, I had written in my diary, that by the time on Day 7, at Peschiera del Garda, I was totally relaxed and recharged and ready to go.

So, today, even though there was this hiccup, we were in high spirits and walked about 5km back and forth along Lake Garda. The lapping of the waters, the blue sky with the hint of sun, the ducks quacking in the distance, the feeling was of total peace. After another long year of business and managing issues, this holiday was the perfect antidote for me.

Peaceful Easy Feeling along Lake Garda 

We walked back to P d G and had lunch of salmon avocado sandwich, cheese sandwich and a couple of energy fruit drinks.

We had dinner at the nice Plumes restaurant back in town 

> Pork cheek with young potatoes and artichokes,

> Burrata cheese / Parma Ham / Pistachio Salad.

I recorded we did easily 20,000 steps today and went back to bed totally tired and happy.

Pistachio Salad 

Day 7 Part 4 Verona 6th Dec 2023 - Risotto Masi and Villa San Pedro.

Before leaving us, Stefano suggested we try the world famous Verona Risotto, (or rice) called Risotto Masi (cheese), it looks like brown rice with cheese on top, but I guarantee my readers, if you taste it your taste buds will go "Ooh Laa Laa". 

You must pair this dish with Amarone. If you do, you will be in the foodie heaven zone.

I can't describe the feeling but it is so sublime, the taste, sourish yet oh so tasty.

Risotto with Masi. 

Ostregheteria

Sottoriva 33 

After lunch, we waddled, yes it was a struggle after  such a magnificent lunch to get up to the Villa San Petro as suggested by Stefano. We were not disappointed to say the least. The view of Verona was stunning! The funicular  which brought us up must have been over a hundred years old and to take in the whole city was just something else. 

We made it to the top of the hill called Villa san Petro or Villa of St Peter. 

We took pictures of the mallard ducks along the way, as well as a couple of selfies across the bridge, such was the beautiful weather. I was totally relaxed and in the zone of perfect happiness.

Would we ever visit Verona again ? Yes, health and funds permitting. It evokes an old worldly charm and class which the big cities have long bypassed. 

It is a tremendous privilege to have come on a cool winter's day, experience the love of the Bard as typified in the statues and the balcony. Eaten the best Risotto in my life and viewed the beautiful trading hub of Verona.

Beautiful Bridges leading to Verona 

Carpe Diem ! 

Day 7 Part 3 6th Dec 2023 Verona - Romeo oh Romeo where art thou Romeo ?

Here is the post for the romantics and lovers of all ages. The birthplace of the playwright and author William Shakespeare's fertile imagination for a forbidden love for all ages between a boy and a girl (of course, I am an old school non woke conservative nearly old guy!) 

The ageless beauty Juliet in bronze. 

We went into the courtyard where Juliet would be hanging around disparagingly muttering those famous lines. This was pre smart phone mind you, so no emojies, sad or angry emoticons and missed whatsapp calls ! Legend has it, (this is definitely urban legend) if you go up to the statue and touch the left breast (uncovered), you will find true love !!

Juliet's Balcony 

Apparently the 'balcony' is a recycled sarcophagus (or old tomb of some preist) so its laughable thar people step into the tomb and wave to their imagined lovers out in the distance!  If only they knew the actual facts !

We then walked over to Romeo's family house and also saw the tomb of the top family which governed Verona in the 12th and 13th centuries. The della Scala family.

Della Scala House

Tomb of della Scala family 

 

Day 7 Part 2 Verona 6th Dec 2023

 

Town Centre

We ventured into the main town square which was packed with people out for their last minute Christmas shopping. Somewhere at the centre of the town square is an archway which hangs a WHALEBONE. The whalebone symbolises the medicine halls presence. I guess there are a lot of bones which are ground into fine powder in the last millenium (1000 years) for healing purposes. Please take a look below.

Entrance Arch of the Medicine Halls 

At the centre of the town stands a structure. On the steps are cut exact metric sizes of 1 piece of Verona marble. This is the benchmark for one standard size of marble and has been used extensively when buying and selling marble pieces and slabs.

 

One standard Unit of Marble Slab 

Again both of us are in awe and wonderment that such a powerful and rich country and city like Verona has had its glory days and now it is just another ordinary city relying on its past glory and stories to attract tourists from as far away as we have come. Cities rise and fall with their leaders and their management or mismanagement. 

We in Singapore had better take note of the ebb and flow of city states and their fortunes.

Beautiful Catholic Church 

Day 7 Day Trip to Verona 6th Dec 2023

                                                        Bridge into Verona City 

After an extremely quiet night, we had a nice breakfast at the C House Lake Cafe.  We then took the 10.58 am train to Verona to meet Stefano. He is based in Verona. A rather tall and handsome chap who spices his monologue with dark humor, we both took to him at once. ! As can be seen by their dressing and mode of transport (his was a foldy bike), Italians by and large are environmentally conscious.

So, lets get this fact straight. Romeo and Juliet is FICTION ! It was dreamt up by William Shakespeare and his play has been reproduced and copied in literature texts the world over making Verona a must visit for all those die hard romantics !

                                                        Arched Entrance into the old town

Verona is a fairly large town of 250,000 inhabitants with easily millions of visitors from near and afar coming over to visit the birthplace of Romeo and Juliet. In fact the 2 main things Verona is famous for are 

Romeo and Juliet setting

Marble

Verona has a collisseum which was built in 46 AD which was even before the one built in Rome. The Romans ran the city for about 1000 years and later, it was managed by a wealthy family, the Scaligeri,  after which the  Venetiens, Austrians and Napolean's army conquered it.

Italy became a republic in 1861 somehow managing to band together all the disparate families and their interests under a country's rule.

                                                                Verona Colleseum 

The Romans influence is clear in the form of numerous structures which are seen even today,

These are 

a) Torres (Gate)

b) Viaducts 

c) Arches

d) Clocktower

e) Winged lion statue (from the Venetiens)

Clock Tower in Town Centre

We were very fortunate that the weather that day was sunny and pleasant 10 - 12 C.That day when we went there were not that many foreign tourists but most were making a beeline to the Juliet's House to catch a glimpse of THAT balcony.

A funny but true story is tied to that balcony. I will elaborate on that in the next post.

Winged Lion of the Venetians showing they had occupied Verona some time back