Venice - Day One

When I have come to Venice, like almost anyone who has ever come here, I have experienced the magnificent beauty of the island with the old town built on the sea, or floating on the sea, the interstellar canal system, the Gondola driver singing Opera while riding tiny Gondola on the Grand Canal. For me, it is also known as the "love city" - the most romantic place to propose or the honeymoon destination of couples dream.

The idea of building a city right on the sea is very crazy, but it is the "crazy" of the ancient Romans to create such a masterpiece for Italy. Venezia - a very seductive and beautiful name - was placed for the imperial maritime as well as an important commercial and artistic center during the Renaissance.

• Late fight at Milan Bergamo Airport

My late flight has landed at Milan Bergamo Airport at 10.30pm, I suddenly heard strangely bustling with applause of all passengers. Many people were clapping their hands.  I was wondering why he sitting next to turn to laugh:

"Oh, do not be surprised, they are simply Europeans!"

Maybe everyone is familiar with this scene on EU domestic flights; I guess they applaud the pilots' safety response, a beautiful act and a very cultural one or very Europeans way of habit. It is more meaningful because lately  I have heard there are a lot of bad news about flights, especially the accident of  airline crush in Vietnam right before my departure, every flight is safe I I breathe a sigh of relief despite my tongue:

Oh, life is planned by God!

• Sleeping at Milan Bergamo Airport

  

The outdoors is quite cold now. When planning, I determined that when we arrived in Venice late at night and I had nothing to do with the city center, so I and my friends, we decided to sleep at the airport without booking in front of the hostel. Bergamo Airport is a large Italian airport, with large lounges and loungers. Nearly midnight, the flights are no longer active so Bergamo Airport becomes quite deserted.  After a while looking around I finally found a place for me overnight right next to the entrance, although there were noisy people coming out as well as cold weather due to cold winds every time the door opened, but also Just because there is no better place than this, it is a memorable airport night!

My luggage - quite heavy right :D 

• Taking early bus to Venice

At 4 am, we woke up as if we were waiting for the bus to Venice with our hands full, early in Italy cold night! Or maybe I'm not exhausted yet because of sleep at the airport last night. Why do I have a proper home, but we have to be as homeless as the people on the street or refugee - the lonely feeling in a remote, cold country makes me laugh and say in the stomach !!! Anyway, all because of the European travel dream should be a little bit uncomfortable with me, it does not matter, and it will also be an interesting experience for us.  Of course, it is also because of the super expensive price of staying in Venice that I decided to sleep at the airport

The distance from the airport to Venice is almost 200 kilometers. I wait a long time before the bus finally landed to the suburbs of Venice, tickets can be purchased directly from the driver, and always remember to validate in the bus. In this European land they always heighten their sense of self, the public transport tickets they allow me to buy and to tear myself through the Validation machine. If you do not validate, then the ticket is still valid and will be forwarded in the next few days, usually not checked in the bus (except long-distance intercity trains), but if they find out you will be fined heavily.

The sides of the road were gray, cloudy and cold, only the road was empty early in the morning. This is the outskirts of Venice, it is quiet but the planning is very standard, the roads, the houses are clean and nice. In my previous experience, I used to place a hostel or find a host in places not too far from the train station, since the station was usually downtown, and other public transport had stops. Parking at the station should be very convenient. Venice's city center is located in a seafront archipelago. From Venice Station, it takes me only five minutes to get to the center, but it's also very cheap. If anyone has conditions can book in the center because it is more convenient for walking, walking and of course the price is much higher.

• Venice train station - Venezia-Mestre Station

Then, I heared the sound from the loudspeaker at the station kept on constantly, and I could only hear one word that they were saying, "A ten ziu," I guess, in Attention, in English. It is true that the word "attenzione" in Italian means "to pay attention," meaning to remind passengers of the train hours and other regulations. The feeling of an Italian is actually more refreshing than that of France and Spain, my two countries have gone before, other people, different climate, and the landscape is also different. The street here is like the western suburbs that I often see in movies, houses with colorful tile roofs, in separate lots. Mazzacano, L.Pasini, streets with the name of Italian, the desert of a sparse land ...

Just blowing the warmth for my own hands, I pressed my smartphone to call the host owner that I have booked. The cost of staying one night in Venice is quite expensive in Europe, so even though I booked a room on the outskirts of the city, the price for a  bed was not cheap - 60 euros / 2 nights - the most expensive of the cities I stayed overnight on this journey. The host owner was probably still sleeping, signaling me to go inside. This host house is quite small, 3 floors and does not have many rooms, which is full facilities. I did not spend much time here, with a small camera bag on my back; I returned my host and quickly got off at the train station in the city center.

Train ticket to central Venice is very cheap, only 1.25 euro / per one urn. It is a short train ride through an artificial long canal connecting the mainland and the offshore islands system. There is the city center. The feeling of being overwhelmed as I stepped out of the train station in the city, when in front of me there were only canals with motorized canoes running back and forth, The colors of the canals as in the puzzle game that I've only seen in movies, a dream world, and my dreams come true.

• Stazione di Venezia Santa Lucia

Holding the tourist map on my hands, I have identified places of interest to visit, most notably the Piazza San Marco or the Rialto Bridge. But I did not go straight to these famous places but decided to take a leisurely walk, enjoy the simple and beautiful peaceful feeling out of the large brick houses scattered or from the flower pots. I also saw some small footprints on the tall balcony of many ancient buildings. From time to time, I found a couple of stringers hanging out the window, hanging clothes hanging by the art with colorful hanger and tie. In Venice, at most bridges crossed the canyon lines that shaped clouds of sky. There are wooden bridges, each passing through hear creaking at the foot. More are the niches of the dome, connecting from one to the other. There are visitors that they are too tall, just go through it to bow down but do not feel bothered.

And indeed, my first impression of Venice at the entrance to the central railway station of Santa Lucia is that it is so magnificent, so flawless and this world will never find such a second place.

With classic beauty, mystical beauty; Venice is the place where, in the life of each person, if there are occasions, it must come, even once. Every corner of the city is romantic, sweet look at the whole day is not boring. The couple just wandered around, sipping coffee in the alleys, or dropping themselves on the Gondolas for some unforgettable moments in their lives.

• Grand Canal at first glance

  

Venice is very small but the canal system is interspersed so there are only two ways of traveling: waterbus or walking.

 I bought a 24 hour waterbus card (11 euros, equivalent to about 300 thousand vnđ). With this card, you can get on any trip within a day. With Venice, let's leave the timetables with a tight schedule aside to venture into the adventure, exploring the beauty of the "Adriatic Queen".

Then, finally I arrived at the Grand Canal at noon when the sun rose, the sky was blue and the canals glittered in the sun. Before coming here, Venice in my imagination is a magnificent structure covered with green moss, soft gondolas passing through water at every corner or bridges thousands of years old. .

I like the most special point in Venice that is absolutely no cars traveling on the island. Local people and tourists travel mainly by foot or by water bus (the large passenger train on the Grand Canal , going to major tourist destinations of Venice, which is the main means of access to the island. Murano and Burano.  I thought the Grand Canal is like the lifeblood of Venice. Sitting on a water bus or gondola along the canal, you can enjoy stunning views of ancient buildings, ancient houses, restaurants and hotels close to the water's edge. In addition, movie lovers must also remember the Grand Canal and other beautiful Venice has appeared in the movie "The tourist". The film is not only attractive because of the presence of actor Johnny Depp and female star Angelina Jolia, but also because of the picturesque paintings from the red roofs of Venice.

On the island, each passing lane, sometimes I went in the right direction on the map but still then round, then lost. From time to time I encountered several signs pointing to the same place but two arrows pointing to two different directions. It makes people confused. As my group has walked through the alleys; enjoy the peaceful feeling out of the quietly closed houses with small flower pots by the window pretty. Situated in the heart of Venice, San Marco Square is always crowded with visitors by the appeal of the architecture both unique and important or the crowded nature of the tourist area. Apart from that, I have an intention to visit  one of the most important works here is the church of San Marco, where St. Mark's remains are kept, because of the piety that the Venetians steal from Egypt in 828. By day, there are thousands of birds. People come to eat, eat bread crumbs of tourists.

 

• Lost in Venice – Unexpected Rain - Venice weather ( the girl who is in love)

The city of these canals was founded in 421 by the Romans fleeing the Goths. The canals serve as roads, and all forms of transportation are water or walking. There are about 400 bridges connecting the canal and the Gondolas, which are the main means of transport on the water.

Today, the weather this afternoon did not seem like good, the rough clouds came flying over my blue sky. Maybe the weather of Venice changed erratically, when the sun is still on the sky then it changes to rain like a girl ( she was in love.)

Holding the map on my hands, the feeling I need is just to know exactly where I am on the island, because the direction of travel is as indeterminate. Starting off the bridge to another bridge for intriguing curiosity, I stopped at a pier and watched each boat run through.

We were going, suddenly a rain came, although it is just a tiny rain, my hands were soaked, water jacket was wet with rain, and gradually I decided to go in line with the influx of people as the camera I kept in my pocket and will not use because of bad weather, the smartphone will be a companion for today's photos.

Roads in the city are only lane connecting without stops; there are nooks that are only enough for two people to avoid each other. Sometimes I think I'm going straight, but just after a while I go back to my starting point. The shops here are mainly souvenir shop and tailor shop, clothing shop for tourists. Many handicrafts are sold. There are no high rise buildings, but only small landscaped business rooms of all kinds, including a supermarket, fashionable HM, Zara or LV fashion boutiques.

We walked in the footsteps of people are massively flocking to the city center, just go and go without stops. Venice looks small but very large, wide by canal network, because of the small paths that are still in tatters. I choose the large market area to stop, watching the daily activities of indigenous people. Today's lunch is simple, a little Indian-style, and sitting in the nearby melodious violin, in no hurry. In Venice, it is easy to be swept away by the tireless walkers, but it is also a time for me to sit back, relax, and take a deep breath to feel the romantic flavor here. Venice has not only the boats, the canals, but also the artists, the artwork. You will easily meet the artist on the road day to picture the romantic picture on the drawing, with all the best material. I was sitting behind the artist for hours to get into their work without being bored.

Then, I remembered in the classic novel that I have read before “ Death in Venice” : "The magnificent palace, the Than Tho Bridge, the columns of the statue of angels and the lion statue along the canal, a wing on the side. The Mythical Temple exudes magnificent majesty, the view through the Gate and the Great Clock Tower; as he ventured to walk through the station to Venice, through the train station, he looked like a palace by the back door, and to go to this most miserable city one should not go any other way. In addition to the way you are going, by boat, excess sea ... ".

Venice was once a fertile, Renaissance city with bustling streets and ballrooms. But in the late 18th century, the city gradually deteriorated as many old buildings and buildings were in a state of unadorned, but I feel that cure and beautiful. But despite the fact that this place can sink into the sea forever in 20 years, Venice still has a mysterious charm that anyone would like to explore.

Who will come here will also remember the description of the writer Thomas Mann: "The magnificent palace, the Than Tho Bridge, the column of angels and the lion statue along the canal, the magnificent majesty of the sky, the view through the Gate and the Giant Tower ... "

To Venice, I was not only fascinated by the beauty of each little alley, the red roofs, each gone astray but also attracted by the plaster mask here. I was amazed and delighted to go between the two stores selling masks with hundreds, thousands of expressive and colorful. Now, Venice once again hosts a costume festival with the appearance of sophisticated masks, unique outfits and music emerging from all walks of life.

 Unfortunately we did not come to the festival so we can only see the mask in the glass. Masks for sale in Venice are varied, ranging from tiny to finger-point to full-face, decorated with elaborate, meticulous lines at varying prices.

• A Dark Venice from young beautiful girl to an old lonely woman

  

Minutes passing so fast, it was dark; I walked back to the station to the host house. If Venice is in day I can descript her as a beautiful girl with charming and young beauty, when the night falls, everything is completely opposite. After taking off all the cosmetics powder, Venezia's "little woman" seems to show her old age and loneliness.

I am sad to know the truth when the city is degraded and living conditions are shortage, people gradually go to other cities. Venice is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe, probably 90%, but the natives of Venice are just about 10% of all tourists while 90 % the other are from other part of the country. They all come here to work and earn money.

However, as the sky got darker, I felt something strange. There are no crowded tourists, many people visit Venice only during the day, and at night they go to the mainland for staying. Therefore, I was completely surprised when after 7pm, the city became strangely deserted, different from the busy day. Walking in Venice in the evening can give a strong feeling to anyone. Small streets in the morning crowded so that evening back silent. The house is lit but the interior is unoccupied and goes through feels like being the character in a Gothic horror movie.

In the evening before leaving Venice, I spent time walking with an indefinite journey. Stay in this city overnight to feel the weariness, its ruin. Venice has had a prosperous time, but now it seems to be trying to get past a glimpse of daylight to attract tourists (Venice's most important economic tourism).

I did lose a map with my three friends, nor did I identify with the directions, but simply wandered in the music of Sandra's Little Girl (MV).

When wandering in Venice, I will sometimes find a cozy cafe or a nice restaurant in the small alley. But the biggest emotion would be the horror, the coldness and the lack of vitality. Every street leads to a square and shops selling masks are everywhere. Just image seeing the mask at night.

Then, I came back to our host house, it was very late, eat something pizza then saying : Goodnight!!! I felt so great remembering last night sleeping at the airport.

 

---

Photo gallery