day 53 waterways and the palace!

Breakfast made and eaten, I'm understandably eager to get moving another sunny day ahead and wonders to see!!

And for the first time on this trip I'm on the water! In Venice there's no choice and it's a great choice!! 

avoiding the cost of a gondola at 80 euros for 40 minutes I buy a two day water bus ticket at 35 euros, I'll be making the most of this!!

My chosen route along the  Grande canal twisting it's way snake-like through the heart of old Venice

and under the Ponte Di Rialto ! Quite a bridge!!! 

twisting onward through this magical (the only proper description!!) town the canal takes me past side canals and a grand casino!  (inevitable thoughts of James bond movies) 

before passing the basilica I saw yesterday to head back to the northern bank and the point of this waterway excursion the Doges ducal palace!! 

on the right in this image, I walk along the front to far side of the palace climb a bridge and look north the famous Bridge of Sighs! 

I'll explain the bridge in a bit.....

Back to the queue for the palace and the slow trudge to gain entry, I think any other town id likely have given it a miss, and been much the worse for not seeing it!!

Through the entrance you step out into a courtyard

before plunging into a tour through exquisite artworks

stunning decorations here, to have been here in its day!!!!

this was the seat of power for this independent and powerful Duchy in medieval and post medieval times! 

A fleet of ships was here to protect the vast trading empire that built this place 

sea battles fought won and lost and land battles.... I've never seen such a collection of medieval weaponry!!!!

they weren't messing around here!!!

All forms of court were in session here.

One huge chamber was used as a court of law suitable artworks on the walls

telling you just how much you'd messed up as your led away!!! The neighbouring building is attached to the palace by the bridge of sighs.... Previously I'd thought this must be a romantic location! 

Anything but!!! The sighs were those of prisoners being led to their punishments or doom!!!

The inside of the bridge tells that story! 

with a multitude of graffiti on the walls of the bridge

and in the prisons beyond! 

back over the bridge you see that at least the prisoners had a last glimpse of daylight before they entered that dark place

but certainly no escape. 

There is for me! 

Back into the courtyard and sunlight a last glimpse of the ducal palace

Before walking into the Piazza San Marco surrounded shopping boutiques along the length of the piazza and the basilica of Saint Mark

with it's adjacent tower the Campanile de San Marco. 

In the piazza there's woman playing the recorder terribly!!! Not the expected street musician at all this is a lady celebrating her 30th birthday and cheered on by friends making a fool of herself and she's doing it with style!! Very funny!!

 https://youtube.com/shorts/ImAHTUqGJxM?si=8L1LCRYt5Jy3Leff

I wander again in this part of the city walking past shops with glittering diamonds, gold and jewellery in it's finest... Not my thing but it's a part of Venice and should be observed.

Throughout the city you seen masks for sale everywhere part of the party scene I guess!

making my way back to the water bus stop I decide to take the weight off of my wandering with a round the island bus tour with my two day ticket....

nice relaxed trip taking the delights of the island cemetery of San Michele with the island famous for it's glassware Murano both in this shot...Murano distantly to the left

floating back around and stopping at the train station stop Ferrovia (by iron?!!!) and with a food stop or two I'm back at the hostel and down for the night.

day 52 beauty to beauty!

Mostly it's hard leaving a beautiful town, today's different, I have high expectations for the next few days no it won't be cheap my hostel bill for the next three nights could cover ten nights in a ropey hostel!

Tonight I sleep in Venice! 

I'm excited for this! 

But first I have the usual train journey, only a few hours and the first stage follows the route of the last break to Bologna through the mountain tunnels! From here it's back over Italy's northern plains very flat here probably used to be marsh land here? 

I don't know

But land reclamation is in process leaving new town Venice to the old town across the thin strip of land the railway and roads have been built uponto the west of the strip are nets hung out in lines presumably fishing if so they're much like the salmon traps I've seen at Annan in Scotland

Quickly the archipelago of the old Venice islands comes into view .. Well the buildings do next to none of the land is visible here!eagerly through the station and on such a sunny day the waterways and ancient buildings are stunning! I'm not wasting time today, straight to the hostel signed in and kit stored there's wandering to do!!!

Southwards through piazza and twisting tiny roads and over little bridges crossing the canals I'm in my element!soon reaching the banks of the Rio de Carmini a stretch of water between the southernmost islands and the main landfinding a supermarket I load my pack for the next day and snacks for tonight, further along as I head east there's canal with gondola boat yard...a picture opportunity if ever there was one! following the waterline to its extreme east point where the Basilica Santa Maria Salute stands proudly more beauty as I encounter a group photographing a girl for presumably a nobody hobbyist endeavour, asking permission first I take a few snaps.my favourite tho is when she's smiling to herself between poses on the Basilica steps.... Can't beat natural! heading back west along the Rio Orseolo the perfect gondala picture presented itself....

away from the Rio I wander along those twisting ally's and little bridges back to the hostel and the end of a beautiful day!