Vincenza and Elderhostel

We spent yesterday dodging raindrops, hiding in our hotel room, then venturing out to see some local museums. After 3 we walked down to the Elderhostel hotel and checked in. We met up with one of the guides and joined the group on a tour of Palladio's Teatro Olympico. It is a spectacular inside theater, designed by Palladio, inside an old castle then prison. It was finished after his death in 1580.

Today we had a lecture about Andrea Palladio, then a walking tour of Vincenza. We got to see mare examples of his work, and two different explanations of the history of his buildings. Vincenza is really patterned after his work. Even the telephone and postal building built in the 1930's by the fascists has the same palladian arch details.

We get fitted for our bikes later this afternoon. We are having a little free time this afternoon. Our group is about 21 people, with 2 guides, and they hire local guides as we go along. We are probably the youngest, and pretty much best in shape. Looking at the itinerary it seems that this won't be real hard riding. We figure it will get us back in shape for the Croatia tour.

I'll post some photos since it has been a while.

Our elderhostel hotel is quite luxurious compared to the places we've been staying on our own. There was even room for both of us to do yoga at the same time which is not common in most hotel rooms.

Bathrooms, toilets etc:

The good: we have bidets in quite a few hotel bathrooms. Don't need one, but it means there is space. Space is good. The only place we've had a tub was in Soriano, and that was in the bedroom. Some showers were so small you couldn't bend over to pick up the soap. Toilets. All flush differently. Some with tanks, some not. Some with seats, some not. The worst, if you don't count dirty, are the ones with places for your feet, and you squat. We're glad we've been doing our yoga.

Anne

Vincenza

We are in our hotel room in Vincenza, about an hour by train west of Venice. As we were getting ready to leave Venice, another rbig thunderstorm hit. We made in onto the vaporetto to head to the train station as the storm hit. We were glad to be in the train station and on the train. It was still raining when we got to Vincenza and is still raining now. We are watching Italian tv and brought back food from the deli for dinner. It is colder and looks to be rainy tomorrow as well.

Vincenza is famous because of the buildings here designed by Paladdio. If you want to know the style, look at the back of your nickel. Monticello was modelled after the Palladian style. Since we're going to hear about it on the elderhostel tour, we're skipping the touring on our own. We found a bookstore with some books in english so I'm goo for a couple of days. Vincenza seems upscale compared to some of the places we've been. Many bookstores and high end stores. There was a big protest here today. We just missed it, we're not sure what it was about. Our italian newspaper reading in the coffee shop seemed to indicate it was about rejecting a US military base. Tomorrow weZll try to find an internet café and post some photos. For now we are warm and comfy. We meet up with the elderhostel group tomorrow afternoon.

anne

Venice final day

We are winding down the carbo loading part of our trip and heading to Vicenze tomorrow. We'll take the leisurely 1 hr train trip and get to our hotel for the night. On Sunday we'll move hotels to meet up with the elderhostel group.

This morning we went down to the water and took a vaporetto (passenger ferry) to Lido and had breakfast, then took the ferry to the St Elena neighborhood. It is the farthest out in one diection of Venice's 6 neighborhoods. It has a boat harbor, parks and streets that are not water and 15 to 20 feet wide. Also no tourists (except us). We walked back towards St Marks and our hotel, stopping to buy stmps, fruit,sandals, and have a snack. we were back in time ti rest before lunch. Lunch was simple sanwiches at a nearby place. We did .some shopping then peggy went to use the internet. by the time she was back a thunderstorm was approaching. We walked to a nearby square and saw people battening down the hatches. we got back to our hotel as the rain started. After a while the storm passed and we went back out. we finished our shopping, had a I course dinner, and walked out into the square in time to see sun on St George and a great sky. Later there was also a rainbow. We walked around some more and I enjoyed seeing the Italian men and boys reacting warmly to the rainbow.

We,ve read up on the elderhostel bike trip now and realize that we'll be repeating some of the Venice experiences with them. Oh well I'm glad to have had our time at our pace here.

Anne

Venice photos

On our gondola ride
A singer in a gondola
Burano is famous for its lace and its colorful homes
Across from Venice
Peggy in a water taxi

Venice day 2

We spent today exploring some of the other islands in the lagoon that Venice is in. Murano is famous for it's glass blowing and Burano for it's lace. We explored both and spent varying amounts. There are some spectacular pieces on Murano and we are adding to our collection. We will have to figure out where these two pieces will go, but they will be stars in our living room.

We had dinner tonight in the same Rick Steve's recommended place. They have fresh salads and small portions, and it is informal so you are not expected to eat a 3 or 4 course meal. We have been carbo loading for the last 2 weeks and decided to control it a little bit. We had a great lunch, on Burano, of pasta, fish and salad, and then a light dinner.

Tomorrow we'll take it easy. Venice is spectacular, amazing, and very full of people. It is in the 80's here, and you spend a lot of time walking behind slow people. We did laundry in a self service laundromat today, and met some other english speaking travelers. On the Vaparetto back from Burano we sat across from a french couple and managed to cobble together enough english and french to communicate.

In the next few days I'll do a discussion on toilets. The differences, best and worst.

Anne

Venice day 2

Venice or Venezia

Peggy and I walked to the train station in Florence this morning and caught a train to Venice. We had a time constraint because we'd booked two tours with the same company for today in Venice. We got to Venice by noon. We took a a vaporetto to Rialto and managed to find our hotel. Then we took another vaporetto up to the tour meeting place and got some lunch up there. the first tour wasva gondola ride and introduction to venice. We then had a break and then a tour of the Doges palace. Then dinner at a Rick steves recommeded place with great salads and home to put our feet up. We've splurgrd here and have a canal view so as I write this I'm listening to taxi boats and gondoliers go by. We have 3 nights here so we can get some of our high interest things done.

It is just amazing to be back in Venice. It was extremely crowded at lunch but decent later. Lots of great sights.

Anne