Day 25 - 16th November 2016

Alarm was set for 5.40am but I was up at 5am. Can’t let an opportunity like this pass us by and sleep in! So I dragged Steve out of bed (he hates mornings…. You have no idea how hard it is to get him up and moving…)

Thank god we left when we did….people were already starting to stir – kinda wished we had been up at 4am.

WOW so many gorgeous little streets and alley-ways to walk down (to get lost in).  At this time of day still in the darkness of night and with no one around, Venice is very still & quiet and very romantic.  Our best photo's were taken on our walk to the Bridge (in my opinion!)

Steve said he’d get me to the bridge to shoot the big Basilica (god love him), but on every turn there was something awesome to photograph in the darkness!! It took us ages to walk there, and we did take a few wrong turns, but thats the joys of Venice!!

I have to say, this is Venizia’s best time of the day – before everyone stirs. Before the waters of the canal’s are churned up. Its just beautiful!

YAY – the bridge – we found it! So had a few other photographers! There was plenty of room for us all! We had basically missed blue hour (damn it). There was no real sunrise – big bank of grey clouds on the horizon which made it look drab, but I still loved it! Even the canal behind the main view was spectacular – actually, I think it is my favourite canal so far!!

We stayed out until the sun had risen, and then we walked again to Marco Polo Piazza. Its amazing to see it so empty all but for a few people. (when you see the movie “Inferno” - you can’t move for all the people!) - but I guess thats the joys of travelling in Low Season!!

We took many photos around the Piazza.  My favourites were all the columns around the large buildings!

  We found the Bridge of Sighs. Steve was very patient waiting for a barge to move out of his image. At this time of the day, everyone was going to work or had started work, so barge’s are this city’s “Trucks” - taking goods in and out. Its amazing to think of how things work here being all water based.

The light had become too harsh at 9am, so we started the long walk back to the apartment, but not before getting lost in and out of little alley ways. The gorgeous little bridges need photographing, not to mention the colourful homes of course!

Finally we found a road we recognised, and before long we were inside a Patisserie buying breakfast. 2 Chocolate Croissants and a Sfogliatella. OMG…. I will eat this one as soon as we get back to our apartment and not let it go soggy like the last one a few weeks ago!

And poor Steve then had to be dragged into another Patisserie to buy a huge “baci” style Meringue - OMG – they look soooo good!

Are we there yet? For some reason walking on the hard stone streets carrying all my camera gear is not good for my ankles….. I was dying to rest…. “are we there yet?”

YAY – finally back – made it by 10am! What a great effort! We walked another 10kms this morning!

Breakfast was to die for and the Sfogliatella - OMFG, the BEST I’ve ever eaten…. Really….you have no idea just how good it was!! If my feet can carry me back to this place, I will have another one (maybe 3!!) ha ha

And yes, I had to try the Meringue and that was amazing too! Not like the dried out hard things we get back home – this was solid, moist, chewy and melt in your mouth all at once – amazing! (yes I love my food – can’t help it – so many good things here to try)!

We rested for a few hours – and they went very quick. Before long we were back on the streets and at our favourite Gelato place “Just the usual” we said!! lol Ahhhh good times!

We walked down street’s not yet travelled and looked around the Jewish Ghetto sector, before making our way to the Rialto Bridge for sunset.

Thank god we got there an hour before sunset….. people EVERYWHERE all jostling for prime position. We were very lucky to get to the front and that’s where we stayed until the sun went down.

The day had been very hazy and sunset wasn’t that fantastic, but it was lovely to be out to see the end to our last day in Venice.

We walked off the bridge to another location to photograph the bridge itself and we got talking to lovely men from Germany who were here for a business convention – they are University Lecturers! Great guys!

We walked around the Rialto Markets for a while and then we headed back to the apartment to drop off our gear and we went and had dinner at Ristorante Speranza – WOW – amazing food! Steve had…. Yep you guessed it…. Spaghetti Carbonara and I had Spaghetti Ah Vongela (Clams) – was absolutely amazing!

On our way back to the apartment (all 40m walk), we had to go past our Gelato place….so of course, who could resist one last Gelato?

By the time we ate that and rested some more, we decided we just couldn’t be bothered going out again!! We were both really happy with the photos we took this morning and that was enough.

So we set about the task of packing our suitcases for the trip home. Tripods packed away and then working out the best weight options for carry on luggage vs suitcase.

Ahhhh Venizia, we have had an absolutely amazing time in this very short day and a half! It was not enough and we will be back. There is so much more Gelato to be consumed and more street’s to be discovered.

Buone Notta Venice.