One of Venice’s hidden secrets… the car ferry.
Today, I gave the early morning shoot a miss, and had a lie in considering the amount of alcohol Bert made me drink the night previously. So a leisurely shower and breakfast was the order of the day… I had arranged with Bert, the night before, to take him on one of my daytime trips, to the ‘secret & invisible’ Venice, which I enjoy showing other friends, to further enhance their own experiences of this wonderful city and its islands…
today’s excursion…
Click to enlarge…
Today’s jaunt, would take us along canals, across the lagoon to secret hidden places few tourists ever see, and back again. I met Bert in the foyer of my hotel, at about 9:30.am, and we walked over to the San Marco bus boat stop, where Bert bought himself a 3 day tourist pass. Although we were going up the Grand Canal, it is better, when experiencing the city for the first time, or re-acquainting yourself on another visit, to catch a number 01 over to the Lido, so that you can get off, and board the No.1 right at the start, and choose the best seats (usually outside at the rear), so that the city unfolds from what are the best positions to view from.
So starting at San Marco… we travelled towards the Lido, on the WHITE route (see map)… then re-boarded the bus. to travel the full-length of the Grande Canal (BLUE route) to Ple ROMA, as we came to buildings and bridges of note, I explained to Bert all aspects of the route… Upon arriving at Ple Roma… we crossed over the square where all the bus and road taxi’s drop off, as we headed for the mono-rail station to take us to the car ferry (RED route)… Trying to get our money into the automatic ‘pay’ machines was a bit of a challenge… but Bert managed to suss it out first, then guide ME through the process… lol. Anyway we managed it in the end… and went up the escalators, to board the monorail…
Our monorail carriage for the short journey
The monorail is mainly used by the visiting passengers from the large Liners, which come into the city from the Adriatic, to spew its passengers out for their day-trips… before moving on. However, Bert and I were to stay on until we got to the mult-storey car parks at the end of the road/rail bridge which links the mainland with the city… walking to the end or the Red route… we boarded the car-ferry, with our tourist… bus – boat – ferry tickets, and went up to the top decks for the best views…
Bert chills out, before our ferry ride…
Up the Giudecca Canal…
St. Mark’s from the car ferry…
Bert gets some great shots from the unique vantage point
As we travel the YELLOW route, from the terminal, along the Giudecca Canal, past some great views, we pass St. Marks, The Doges Palace, the island of San Georgio… and along the length of Venice, passing St.Elanor, and the Venetian Naval Academy, and onward to the ferry port on the Lido…
Bert captures the moment we dock at the Lido
After waiting for the cars to vacate the ferry, we set off for a a walk in more quieter spaces of the islands… as the Historian for Everton Cemetery, in my home-time of Liverpool, I’m a self-confessed ‘grave-hound’ and I wanted to call in at a couple of Cemeteries on the Lido, before stopping at a local roadside cafe I know… During our visit to one of the cemeteries, I managed to fall over… although I protected my cameras in the fall my knees bore the brunt of the damage… so I coffee was needed to ease the pain…lol
4 coffees and a BIG cheese & ham panini each… all-in under 10 Euro’s
Bert was absolutely stunned, at how cheap, you can eat out… if you have the right guide… so after our well deserved rest on the Lido… we started to walk back via the GREEN route, with a few diversions to take in other sights…
I take Bert via an old abandoned hospital…
No entry for Bert… but click the image to take you to a previous visit…
The old Jewish Cemetery… some stones go back to the 1400’s
Waiting for a bus which never came… so we walked back to the No.1 port again
After walking back to the Lido’s Bus/boat terminal (GREEN route) which we had started our days excursion from… we arrived and caught a No.01 once again (PINK route)… to get off at San Zaccaria, and join Martin, once again for the afternoon shoot… we only stayed 30 minutes or so… but it produced some good image, then we set off for our hotel for a chill, and I picked up some Paracetamol for my sore knees lol.
My image of the day
Our Evening Meal…
Tonight, we all met up in our hotel foyer. for 7;00.pm. and made our way into St. Marks Square… to see the Carnivale Celebrations… then go to have our evening meal…
Carnivale Celebrations
Our evening meal venue
Our Combo Starter
After our meal, of a Combo Starter, followed by Burgers etc all round… we went back into St. Marks to enjoy the sights and sounds of the night… and for me to check out this seasons new glass styles in the Furnace outlet shops around the square… before setting off to our Hotel, and a few Limmoncello’s before turning in… Tomorrow, I’ll be taking both Bert & Martin for another jaunt… but this time onto the Italian Mainland…
Night reflections on the canals.