Thursday 17 December

We had to have our bags outside our door this morning at 7am, and the coach left at 8am for Venice. I wasn’t expecting to love it as much as I did – on the way there the travel director talked up how rude Venetians could be, and told us to have very low expectations of our gondolier and waiters.

We caught a boat from where the coach could park over to the island, and Peter took us on a walking tour. Yet another day where our experiences and sights to behold are beyond description! The city is built on wooden pylons, and despite a couple of obviously leaning structures, it was hard to believe. 

   
 Our walking tour ended at a glass blowing demonstration at a murano glass factory. It was amazing to watch and also fun to see the kids react to the creations made. We were then left to our own devices for a late (2pm) lunch, and had to find something quickly for poor skinny Tim who was starving! Paninis and hot dogs down the street from the murano glass factory it was.

After lunch, we met Peter again at 2.45pm to go on a gondola ride. It was possibly a half hour journey but one we all agreed was just priceless and such a good experience. The gondolas only take a maximum of six passengers, so Jarrod and Tim joined another family from our tour for their ride. The tour group went in eight boats, and every fourth boat had an accordion player and opera singer on board to serenade us all. Sam now wants to be a musician on the gondolas, and Zac and Belle want to be gondoliers! Our gondolier was lovely, not rude at all, and gave us some history and information and answered any question presented to him.

   
 
From there we boarded water taxis in groups of 10 to travel down the Grand Canal, in the style of George Clooney on his wedding day. Jarrod proved he could multitask by standing up the front of the boat taking photos and holding the Go Pro steady to get some film footage as well. I took over 100 photos today and everyone else took a lot as well, which makes me think the culling process and organising and categorising and uploading may have to wait until after the HSC!!

We were left to explore on our own then, given two more hours on the island before we had to return to the boat. We walked many backstreets and explored many areas…and got a little lost (although Ross assures me he had it under control all along!). After purchasing a couple more souvenirs (the girls chose a small Venetian mask each for their bedroom wall), we found a suitable restaurant for dinner. The kids chose…pizza….but only had small servings as they were still comfortable from our late lunch. Ross enjoyed a salad and I chose a seafood risotto on the recommendation of a fellow tour member who was finishing her dinner as we arrived.

   
 
Our hotel tonight is the Novotel, which is not far on the mainland from Venice, so we were in our very modern and well-equipped rooms by 8pm. This is the first room that has provided tea and coffee, so I enjoyed a cup of tea for the first time in a week! 

Wifi is better here than in Florence, but still not fantastic. I will have to upload photos when the Internet connection is more reliable.