David's Diary: Saturday, August 24, 2002
Venice: Grand Canal
Grand Canal
We have had a busy week, so Karalee, Kevin, and Allen take the day off and stay onboard Dragonsinger. Jocelyn and I are keen to see more and we need to do a little bit of grocery shopping, so the two of us head out. Every visitor to Venice needs to take Vaporetti Number One along the entire length of the Grand Canal. The Grand Canal is the main street of Venice and is lined with former palaces and houses. The canal is shaped like a backward 'S' and ranges in width from 40m to 100m.
Jocelyn enjoys the tour on Vaporetti Number One
Jocelyn and I stand at the back of our Vaporetti as the scenery unfolds around us. We pass the Rialto Bridge and then continue around the corner until we pass the train station and then get off at the Santa Chiara stop. We thread our way through narrow streets as we slowly make our way back towards the Rialto Bridge. Just before we reach it we find the public market. We stop to buy a fish and some fresh lemons and then continue on our way crossing the Rialto Bridge which has been standing here since the 16th century.
Piazza San Marco at night
We return home and take the afternoon off. We eat dinner in the cockpit and as the sky slowly darkens and the stars appear, I suggest that we head back to Piazza San Marco after dinner. Karalee has enjoyed her day off and looking forward to an evening alone onboard Dragonsinger, she sees Jocelyn, Kevin, Allen, and I off the boat. We ride the Vaporetti into town then enter Piazza San Marco in full darkness. All of the cafes are lit up and live music emanates from many of them. We leave the Piazza and explore some of the side streets before finding a late-night ice cream shop where we treat ourselves to the fantastic flavours of ice cream that you only ever seem to be able to get in Italy.
Cruise ship leaves Venice
After our ice cream we head back to our Vaporetti stop to take our water bus back to Sant Elena. All four of us are contended and enjoying the evening cruise when we spot an enormous cruise ship just leaving the dock. The Vaporetti first tries to pass to starboard, but then the driver changes his mind and passes to port. As we pass close by we stare up at the brightly lit ship and watch as the tugs throw off their tow lines and the big ship heads off under its own power passing us on its way to the Adriatic Sea.
For more pictures of the Grand Canal, Pizza San Marco, and this day in Venice, visit our Venice pictures Web page. After looking at the pictures use your back button to return here.
