Day 37

Sunday September 2

6:45am - woke up before the alarm :( laid in bed for a while and finished packing up

8:05am - went to breakfast. There was an american couple from Virginia there. We chatted a bit.

8:35am - checked out of the hotel and went to the vaporetto. Waited til 8:52 and took the #82 to the train station.

9:20am - arrived at the train station and tried to find out how the heck to get to Mestre. Tried 2 different ticket machines and they would not give me a ticket! Finally I found an information office and not many people in line. Asked the guy, how the heck do I get to Mestre. He tells me the souvenir shop would sell the tickets (the line at the desk was so incredibly long I would miss my train if I waited in that line to take a 10 minute train to Mestre lol

Bought the big one euro ticket to Mestre and hopped on a train to leave at 9:46. No problem. A couple people sat outside me and I felt really badly asking them to move so I could get off but oh well.

9:56am - arrived at Mestre and carried my bag down the stairs to the monitors to find my train. Lo and behold it was leaving from the same platform I'd just gotten off of. Oh well, it wasn't that many stairs and I wasn't in a rush. Went back up and sat down for a while and just waited.

10:35amish - train came and I realized, the printout she gave me cut off my seat, so I rushed and sat down right on the platform and opened up my computer to find the email LOL. Found it, found carriage 8 and went on my merry way. In a berth of 4 seats with a table in between, seated with a mom and 2 kids, power outlets, an electric shade on the window, reclining seats, very nice for 2nd class. Plus the way the seats are organized, there is space in between them for luggage, so since I took a small suitcase (HOORAY FINALLY IT WAS WORTH IT), it fit nicely and I have foot space haha.

11:05amish - train stops in Padova (Padua) and a couple (American perhaps?) get on and find people in their seats in the berth next to us. There's this old guy and he realizes his ticket is from yesterday, right as the ticket dude was coming by to check. I felt badly for him, then again maybe he did it on purpose?

1:25pm - uneventful train ride. Arrive pretty much on time, grab my suitcase and get off. Find the signs to Taxi and hop in without having to wait. Ask the guy in Italian how much it would cost to get to my hotel, don't have a clue what his response was LOL. But I hopped in, he seemed nice. It ended up taking less than 10 minutes and costing 9.90. I gave him 11. On the way we passed the center of town, I think the Duomo, and the line stretched around the building and down the street. Oy vey!

1:40pmish - get out of the taxi and the guy at the hotel opens the door and comes down the 3 steps and takes my bag. OK I can tell this place is gonna be awesome :) Check in and he doesn't even ask for a credit card. Then he shows me on a map where I am and where the buses are and all that. Cool. I'm in room 8 on the first floor. And he gave me the wireless info too! Nice!

And oh it is lovely. It's a double for single use so the bed is bigger, the room is bigger. Wood floors and furniture, high ceiling with a remote-controlled a/c. bathroom is a bit small but perfectly fine. Nice closet, tv, fridge, and a little balcony!!!!! Oh I will have to sit out there sipping something at some point :) the prices for the minibar are so reasonable - only a euro for water. How did I snag such a deal for 75 euros!

Hooked up my computer, connected to the wireless no problem, and deleted all but 7 of the 74 of my emails that had accumulated in the last 4-5 days LOL. Rested for a bit and skyped with my parents and set out to explore a bit. On my way out, the guy handed me a couple papers, one with my Accademia reservation on it and the other for my free lunch. He said, decide when you want to go, hand us the paper we'll write it and make you the reservation. Wow, nice. It's a little place near the Ponte Vecchio. Cool :)

3:00pmish - walked towards the Ponte Vecchio, figured I'd test out the walk and see how long it actually is. Beautiful views of hills one way and into florence's center the other. Took pictures along the way of course. Crossed the Arno river at the Ponte alla Grazie (the one before the Ponte Vecchio), found the Piazza Santa Croce - huge church! Wandered a bit and it was getting busier. Found Vivoli's gelateria (one of the more famous ones here) and it was closed :( Found a little café that was open and got a cup of Chocolate and coffee for 2 euros - I'd barely eaten anything all day! Mmmmm it was good. The chocolate had chocolate chips in it and the coffee had coffee beans throughout it (ok they were bitter but.. Still tasty).

Wandered and found the Piazza della Signoria, one of the bigger squares. I wads just standing there soaking it in when a guy comes up and tries to ask if I knew where the Uffizi was. I replied in English and he was like "OMG you're American" LOL!!! Then I saw he was wearing a Connecticut shirt so I say, UConn? And he's like, yes. And I say "my mom went there" so we start chatting - his wife was on the phone with family. Turns out they had just come from Venice on a train slightly later than mine. So we look at my handy popout map and see that the Uffizi is right there. Then they invite me to go in with them, they had some kind of complimentary tickets. I was tired, feet starting to hurt again, and the last thing I wanted to do was look at some art. So I thanked them but declined. They were like, since we are here would you take a picture of us. Of course I did and the woman offered to take a picture of me, I was like oh sure why not! Anyway they were very sweet and I forget their names but it was nice to chat for a few.

I kept wandering and found the Ponte Vecchio. Oh my god. Half the stores were closed but still, the gold. It was everywhere and unlike the Murano glass which by and large wasn't my style, I could buy hundreds of things here. I will have a hard time finding something to buy, I mean just one thing. LOL!! I did see one pair of earrings at one place that I couldn't see the price but didn't think they'd be TOO outrageous, and they were gorgeous. I'll go back sometime during the week when all the stores are open, and somehow I will make my mind up!

Anyway, now I was back across the bridge, I set back towards the hotel. Saw a little market that was open, got a bottle of water and some salami to snack on.

5:00pmish - made it back to the hotel. Walk is about 15-20 min, not a bad walk and certainly pretty, but I think I will be utilizing the bus, especially since a 3-day pass is only 12 euros. The front desk was now manned by a girl, who says hi and is like "Room 8?" and I am like "how did you know that?!!!" and she's laughing and goes "I know" LOL. How cool.

Relax for a while.

6:45pmish - go down and ask her if there are any places open for dinner. She shows me a couple that I had actually heard about and where they were. Very cool. She tells me to go into the garden for the happy hour thing. They have red and white wine and some kind of juice. Green olives, 2 kinds of corn nuts (yes mom corn nuts LOL), and some little savory pastries and stuff. I had some olives and a glass of juice, and just sat in the cute little garden for a bit.

7:05pm - went back in, remembered to give the girl the thing for my lunch, she said she could book it for tomorrow. Cool. I will be near there - it is right by the Ponte Vecchio anyway. Hopefully there will be something I want to eat? LOL.

Wandered, looked at the places she suggested that were open. All within maybe a 5 min walk from the hotel down the street.

7:20pm - decided on Trattoria Gigi for 3 reasons: 1) it was open, 2) it came highly recommended from people at tripadvisor and 3) it had something non-pasta, non-pizza that I'd want to eat. Perfect! Very adorable inside, high arched bricked ceilings, etc. Had the "pollo frito" aka, FRIED CHICKEN! Ahhaha. Yummmmmm. I think, what it was, was a hacked up bone-in chicken breast breaded and fried in olive oil. Whatever it was, it was good. Maybe slightly overcooked, but it wasn't pasta or pizza so it was good, plus even though it was something normal, it was still Italian because of the batter and olive oil. Plus I had never eaten pieces of fried chicken with the bone in, so it was an experience. It came with some kind of "fried vegetables" which were like, squash or zucchini blossoms or something. Tasted it and honestly it just tasted like the batter. When she took away my plate she said something that I imagine was "you didn't like it?" LOL Anyway total was 17.50 euros including water and cover. Not bad for a nice meal in a nice little place. I left 2 euros on the table as tip, I'm still not sure what I am supposed to be doing where this is concerned, so I guess I will just kinda keep winging it lol.

8:10pmish - came back to the hotel, the girl at the desk asked if I had a nice dinner so I told her yes and where I went.

10:55pm - today's pictures will be up tomorrow, I am tired!