I had the sudden feeling like I've forgotten how to write. In my daily work, I deal a lot of numbers, to the point that I've lost touch with language. I probably don't even speak English enough - like proper English with correct grammar and sentence structure. This is a far cry from my schooling days where Literature was a large part of my curriculum, and even in University where churning out essays was a daily affair. Now I feel super incoherent when I attempt to write something, and even my speech is incoherent. Should make an effort to write more. Hmm..
Okay end of random ramble.
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For Venice Part 1 click here.
On day two of Venice, we decided to join a free walking tour in the morning. We gathered at a plaza and met with three guides who each made a pitch about what kind of tour route they would bring us on, and so the huge group of tourists that had gathered were split three ways and went on different routes.
Our walking tour group.
Our guide brought us to the old Jewish Ghetto, an area where the Jews resided as imposed by the Serenissima Republic of Venice in 1500.
The Jews had curfews and exits of the Ghetto were controlled by the army. And since the area of residence could not be enlarged, they had to build taller buildings, which resulted in them being up to 8 storeys high - which is unusual for the rest of Venice.
Jewish pawn shop.
This whole stretch leads to some pretty popular restaurants.
I guess this is the local's version of Singapore's "Clarke Quay". Locals and tourists come by here during dinner time, sit by the river and chill. Looks pretty deserted now just because it's not yet lunchtime!
The guide led us to this good photo-taking spot at Campiello del Remer.
I forgot exactly what she said about the wooden structures in the picture, but I think it's something to do about preventing the buildings from slanting towards each other. Venice is sinking after all!
Isn't every corner just so picturesque?
We visited a really unusual bookstore called Liberia Aqua Alta. In the middle of this store is a gondola filled with books, cause apparently during floods (which happens about a dozen times annually) the gondola will float and the books won't be wet. Well, that's what the guide told us!
At the back of the bookstore is a popular photo-taking spot - a staircase made entirely out of books!
Never seen in Europe without my coke. Did I already mention my weird craving for Coke only when I was on holiday?? I don't crave Coke at all in Singapore.
What a gem of a bookstore!!!
So as we walked more back towards San Marco Square, the guide pointed out more arch structures with the purpose of preventing the buildings from leaning too much into each other.
And towards the end of the alley, the buildings actually touch.
The famous Bridge of Sighs - named so because convicts who pass through it on the way to their prison cell sigh as they get their last view of Venice through those small holes.
After grabbing a quick (and actually not so yummy) Italian pasta lunch, we finally visited Basilica San Marco.
The interior is super beautiful because GOLD!
Beautiful murals we spent a great deal of time looking at.
View from the balcony of the Basilica.
We got another Asian tourist to help us take this, just because she asked me to take one for her first. (:
You can get great views from this balcony!
For dinner we decided to try out a restaurant recommended by our airbnb host - it's name I cannot remember for the life of me. lol
Calamari seemed like a safe choice. Was fresh and came with mashed potato!
Scampi pasta.
Some fish dish that the wait staff recommended, I think it had quite a bit of small edible bones which I wasn't to happy about. Overall, from what I can remember the meal was decent, very "local". At least it wasn't some tourist trap and the place was full of locals.
That's all for day 2 in Venice!
Next up, Day 3!
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