"An entangled affair" a Venice Travel Page by Sjalen

Trying to keep our expectations down as the train crossed the bridge from Mestre, in order not to be disappointed by the smell of stale canals, hoards of loud tourists and the pickpockets trying to fool us all. Thinking that maybe, maybe this would nevertheless be the great destination everyone keeps marvelling about and that we had wanted to see since childhood. The place we had already seen in so many films and TV series.

We exit the railway station. SMACK!!! Venice hits you with full power as you find yourself on the steps down from the station, Canal Grande laid out in front of you and full of vaporetti, gondolas and little barges full of beverages. Has passion ever hit me in two seconds flat before? Because this is something else, something not like anywhere else in this world. A world to itself. A place where boats run the show and there is not a car in sight. A place where people walk everywhere they do not go by boat. Grand palaces can be found all over Italy and although the Venetian ones impress, this is not what is striking. Instead, it is the fact that if you call an ambulance, a boat turns up and when you have your garbage collected it is by boat! I also love the feeling of being in a film again that I haven't had since Sicily. Not only do you recognise settings here, you also have a curious mix of happy waiters and intellectual tourists despite the crowds. It is as if everyone has decided to behave their best and enjoy themselves. This is LIFE and I want to be a part of it again and again and again...I am entangled getting lost in canals, my finger is entangled in plasters since Verona and I am emotionally entangled in tiny alleys and gondolier singers doing Tom Jones' "Sex Bomb" when I thought they would do "O Sole Mio".

People kept saying Venice would be expensive. Whilst I certainly agree that when looking for accommodation I kept having to raise my maximum cost level all the time to find something family friendly (but would never stay in Mestre since then you lose the whole point of going to Venice), for the rest, I don't completely agree. Sure, it costs a lot of money to go here but when you compare it to other cities in the Veneto, it is cheaper than for instance classy Verona in many cases. The only thing is you might not always get the same QUALITY for your money as elsewhere (particularly on food) since it is easy to get money coming in on average food and ambience as long as it is by a canal...But, again, shopping in the Cannaregio district turned out to be much cheaper than Verona and even in some of the exclusive San Marco shops you could make a bargain. Just try to avoid eating there as Venice has so many more exciting areas to dine in.

This Venice page is one of my pages where I have opted to include some sights I never had time to visit. The reason is of course to show you as many pictures as possible of this very visually pleasing city. I have however made it clear when I haven't visited a tip. Hopefully, there will be plenty of time next time around :)