This is the next instalment of my Special Moments, Magic Memories series for the 2022 A to Z Blog Challenge.
See what I did there? Today is W on everyone else’s calendar while I covered it on Anzac Day so for me today is V. I don’t know about anyone else but as we near the end of A to Z 2022, I’m getting Very Weary! Thank you to all my readers who’ve journeyed along with me. In my plan, today was going to have another focus rather than travel. However, I realised that Visiting Venice has provided real wow moments for our whole family over the years. Consensus is that Venice has been on the travel agenda in 1974, 1977, 1989 and 2018. In fact, this week four years ago, we had just flown home from Venice and I was sick as a dog with a flu that meant I had to recruit my mate TravelGenee to take over my planned talk on Writing your family history. Mates are great!
THEN
When our children travelled to Europe with us, Venice was “top of the pops” for their visiting list and it didn’t let them down. I clearly remember DD1 jumping up and down with excitement while DD2 just stared in amazement – she even overcame her urge to throw money into any body of water. And Venice is perfect for small children who get tired and overwhelmed as there’s a bountiful supply of pigeons to send them off to chase and thus let off steam. Luckily we have Super 8 movies from this trip now digitised. DD3, on a later trip, had a very similar excited reaction and her Venezia sweatshirt was a favourite for as long as it fitted her. She was less keen on her Hitchcock moment when she threw grain to the pigeons!
I wrote about the kids’ 1977 European adventures here if you’re interested.
“NOW”
We’ve become huge fans of Donna Leon’s books about the Venetian police officer, Brunetti so I was looking forward to exploring some of the places mentioned in the books. They are not so much who-dunnits as an insight into living in Venice. The most recent book focuses on the changes since Covid depleted the tourist avalanche.
I was so disappointed to be sick during our most recent visit. Three things were different for us on this trip: for the first time we stayed in the centre of Venice rather than Mestre; we arrived by plane from Barcelona via Rome, rather than train; and we committed the financial “sin” of having coffee right on the Grand Canal <gasp>. We did get to Burano on the final day, as I was feeling a bit better having spent the previous day in bed. Sadly, Mr Cassmob had even had to take himself off to a concert without me but he coped <smile>. It was fun being able to walk to San Marco, and see the area with fewer tourists/crowds. We had dinner a couple of times at a little place nearby, beside a canal. And from our bedroom window we could see and hear the gondoliers taking their passengers up the tiny canal. True to one travel plan, we have never yet been in a gondola, though I have a photo of mum and dad on one.
Have you visited Venice? What was your favourite experience?
Does reading a book about a place make you want to visit there, even if it’s not famous?
Family history across the seas 
Wow is right. It looks fantastic. What wonderful memories you have.Ive never been. I hope to rectify that in the future. As for AtoZ, dont talk to me, Ive resorted to old posts on several occasions and I’m still behind. I need to get up off my arse. 🙄
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I hope you do get there – it really is fascinating albeit crowded. I know what you mean about AtoZ…I’m out of puff thanks to doing it on the run. My own fault but Z will be a relief.
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It will be zzzz for me🤣😴😴😴
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Gorgeous! I love the colorful buildings!! I, too, am weary of A to Z this time. Especially since I only made it onto the theme reveal list and not on the final list so I’ve not gained many new friends. My own fault . . .but still. I have persevered!
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Just reaching Z however we do it will be an achievement for all of us. Pre-scheduling does make it easier but procrastination catches us out.
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Ah, Venezia. I did smile to myself when I realised that the next direction on my walk to the concert was “Turn left at Jimmy Choo’s.” And it was a lovely stroll back to the Hotel Ala under the light of a full moon, and sad that my beloved was too ill to share the stroll – indeed, too ill to even want to hear about it!
And it was grand four years ago to see that the scaffolding and hoardings had finally come down from around the horses (nicked from Constantinople in 1204) atop St Mark’s.
Loved it! And you are right, cassmob – Commisario Brunetti’s view of the world has added quite a bit to our experience of Venice.
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I was relieved you got there and back without your navigator but my enthusiasm levels were minimal. It was indeed exciting to see no scaffolding given every other time something was under repair.
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I visited in 1986 and loved it all. Great memories; still enjoying my Venetian glass; my travel companion still has her porcelain wall masks displayed; Bridge of Sighs – how did Casanova escape? Have read much about the Doges and their turbulent lives…
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We got bits and bobs on previous trips but nothing this time I think. We have a small mask that our daughter gave us. We’re so lucky to be able to make these trips aren’t we? I haven’t read anything about the Doges – you put me to shame.
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Roz, you’ve made me wonder: were the glass lollies with me or mum and either way, what happened to them over the years? Too many moves, too much packing.
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We stayed in Padua and visited Venice by train. I was so impressed at the location of the station, catching the Vaporetto .. enjoyed walking around the centre and visiting Murano. No gondola and no souvenirs, we were on a budget. Lots of memories. I always like the paintings of Canaletto as he does take me back there.
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That was a good way to do it. The train station near the vaporetto is perfect..our girls were so excited! We were lucky enough to see a Canaletto exhibition in London by chance one time and it’s true that the paintings are so evocative. We’ve never been to Padua, or Verona for that matter,
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As a child I would look at a picture of Venice cut out of the Womens Weekly every night and say “I’m going there one day”. It wasn’t until 2004 that we caught the train from Munich and stayed on the Lido, catching a ferry every day to Venice and other islands. There was no gondola ride for us either or expensive coffee. We were on a budget too. It lived up to all my expectations. I must get into those Brunetti books.
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What a wonderful dream to have had, and you made it! Mostly we’ve been travelling on a tight budget but I think in 2018 we decided to lash out a bit…must have known covid travel hassles we’re coming 😉
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Thanks for the call out. I was most happy to help do the presentation while you were under the weather. Talking about the weather, this reminds me of the time we visited it was so cold but still our son turned down getting some winter gear from the stalls. Not the right style!. Very soon he changed his mind and had a scarf and other bits to keep the cold out. Another memory is the ugliest glass chandelier and the best two handbags that I still use over 10 years later.
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The importance of being warm rather than fashionable 😉 Isn’t it great when you love a purchase and it lasts for ages?! I wish I could see the ugly chandelier;)
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Remind me later. I do have a photo. 😜
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You have truly captured the architecture and colour of Venice. Thanks for sharing these beautiful memories 🙂
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It really is a captivating city isn’t it?
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My, what a great group of photos. You obviously had a great time on each visit. Love the Donna Leon books, must go and reserve her latest one.
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Glad I reminded you about Donna Leon 😉 we pretty much enjoyed every trip.
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