We left for the great Adventure to Venice on the Morning of Friday 13th October. In true Friday 13th style, due to a 13 mile tailback on the M4
motorway, Alec diverted and took a different route, which got us toWaterloo International Rail Terminus in very good time for the 1.45 train to Paris.
(I only knew about the road blockage because I was listening from the early hours to the local radio interview that I had pre-recorded - we made the hourly news until we were out of range and I could not follow the updates any longer).
It was the first time that I had travelled through the Channel Tunnel, and I was amazed at just how smooth and speedy a journey it was - 2 hrs 45 minutes, London to Paris, with only 20 minutes in the tunnel.
The fun started when we arrived in Paris. We needed to get from Paris Gare du Nord, to Paris Bercy - which should have been just a ten minute journey - BUT this was 5 pm on a FRIDAY - and our taxi was pretty soon embroiled in the gridlock which seemed to afflict most of our route across the city.
Fortunately, we had three hours to make the journey, and arrived at Bercy with a good hour still left. (We spent it having a wine and baguette picnic from the top of my case, in front of the Paris-Venice Orient Express terminal!)
Our own carriage on the overnight train to Venice was slightly less gracious than those on the Orient Express - not only could you not swing
a cat in it, one would have had problems with a very small mouse! It was OK, as long as we stayed put on the fold down beds - which were
extremely comfortable.
I take Phenergan for motion sickness, but it also does a wonderful job of acting as a mild sedative, so it was not long before I was in the
Land of Nod - awaking to see the station sign for Verona passing the window - at last I knew we were in Italy!
We sped over the causeway from the mainland and into Venice Santa Lucia station at 9.30 am - and this was the scene that greeted us as we left the station. Yes, that *IS* the Grand Canal in front of me, and as one reader of this blog (Peter) commented, it *was* like walking out into Fairyland!
It was, as the apartment owner had stated, only ten minutes walk from the station until we reached our final destination.....and like the 1906 Ladies, our first act was to consume "a nice cup of tea".
This is our first view of the place in which we would spend the week (X marks our balcony, and R my bedroom window)- With the sun shining and very warm, such beautiful, quiet accommodation, and the rest of the afternoon left for exploration, no wonder I was smiling!
What wonderful accomodations! I'm so excited to hear of this adventurous journey!
Posted by: Karla | October 25, 2006 at 07:57 PM
Glad to see you are safely back, Venice looks a lovely place, I especially like the photo on the previous post with the cloisters and small white well? drinking fountain? It looks so tranquil and beautiful. Looking forward to reading more.
Posted by: Rowan | October 25, 2006 at 08:02 PM
All this country-hopping is making my head spin...
Posted by: Keith | October 25, 2006 at 10:02 PM
Perfect to see MY flat :-)
I love to read about your adventures.
Posted by: Britt-Arnhild | October 25, 2006 at 10:07 PM
Beautiful pictures and lively entries, too. It felt as if I was right there with you! What a beautiful spot. Just finished Miss Garnet's Angel and it made me think of Venice all the more. Am anxiously awaiting more of your posts and what you found on your journey.
Posted by: ardi | October 26, 2006 at 12:37 AM
Oh, boy, oh boy, the journey is unfolding. I am hungry for more! You look so joyous, Roz! You Europeans have such great transportation--and, of course, I'm so dazzled by zipping from country to country, as we do state to state, I guess. Now I'll go back and read anything you posted earlier.
Posted by: Fran aka Redondowriter | October 26, 2006 at 12:48 AM
Silly me, I had assumed you were flying, but of course you went by train! I feel as if I've travelled to Venice myself. I especially like the comment about stepping into Fairyland. I am looking forward to hearing about the rest of your journey as it is like escapism for me right now...
(This is a strange coincidence but I'm sure when my Mum went to Venice a couple of months ago she sent me a postcard of the canal where your flat was. I can't check because my baby played with it for ages, then it got covered in pumpkin so we had to throw it out...)
Posted by: Helen | October 27, 2006 at 03:12 AM