12 Trip to Austria and Italy – August 26-27 – Venezia II

Tuesday, August 26 – Venezia

 Next day Tuesday, August 26 we planned our day tour in opposite direction.  From our hotel across the Ponte Scalzi towards universities, academies and through Ponte de l’Academia to see Piazza San Macro and see how far we can advance in a hot Italian August weather.

	^ A good Venician mask can greatly enhance your appearance
	< People lining up the streets to get into the catherdral are not shown
	Venezia – A Typical Traffic Jam >

 By this time, we knew that shoes and water are two of your friends on a tour in a strange city.  And we’ve got both. Plus Venezia is a true Disney park seemingly without borders and limits.  Venezia is endlessly various and interesting.  It is not your usual tourist attraction.  It is a city-monument.  And do not worry about Venezia bleak prospects.  It is not expensive to walk here, and it is not expensive to eat here, and it is not expensive to stay here.  The only expensive part of being here is a car parking, but consider it as an addition to your hotel bill.

Wednesday, August 27 – From Venezia to Graz

 Next day Wednesday, August 27 was time to leave Venezia. In two days we had to leave Italy and drive across entire Austria to reach Vienna and fly back to Boston.  On the way there, we had an old town of Villach on Austrian side.  We reached it by 1PM, we parked, found tourist office, had our salad and Gyro, bought Austrian flag for 10€ and left for next big attraction.  Lira was glad to return to German language zone.  All the University training and extensive refresher just before leaving for Europe kicked in, and Lira was able to participate in basic German conversations.

 Another 150 km and we reached city of Graz.  We got a room at a Hotel Strasser near the main train station for 70€.  It was a great room in a hotel, where everything seemed to be broken: shower in one room (they had to switch us to another room), elevator, and coffee machine.  But other than that, it was a great hotel for the price.  We checked in and even had time to take a train (1.80€) downtown for dinner.

 Town of Graz is definitely worth our attention, but we had less than an hour to explore it and it was dark.  We only noticed that tram runs literally across the main city square; that all the restaurants are filled with people; and architecture is peasant and various.

 Tram tickets work for 1.5 hour after initial punch. We walked back to the hotel, witch turns out to be very close.

Navigate through the List

1. 12 Trip to Austria and Italy – August 26-27 – Venezia II (2023/11/12)
2. 13 Trip to Austria and Italy – August 28 – Back to Wien (2023/11/16)
3. 14 Trip to Austria and Italy – August 29 – Back to Boston (2023/11/20)
4. 01 European Trip 2008 to Austria and Italy – Preparations (2024/09/24)
5. 02 Trip to Austria and Italy – August 13-14 – First Steps in Wien (2024/09/28)
6. 03 Trip to Austria and Italy – August 15, 2008 – Wien (2024/10/04)
7. 04 Trip to Austria and Italy – August 16, 2008 – Wien (2024/10/08)
8. 05 Trip to Austria and Italy – August 17, 2008 – Salzburg (2024/10/12)
9. 06 Trip to Austria and Italy – August 18, 2008 – Ice Caves (2024/10/16)
10. 07 August 19, 2008 - Crossing Into Italy - Cortina d'Ampezzo (2024/10/20)
11. 08 Austria and Italy – August 20-21, 2008 – Crossing the Alps (2024/10/24)
12. 09 August 22,2008 – Back to the Wild - Rifugio Alimonta (2580m) (2024/10/28)
13. 10 Austria and Italy – August 23-24, 2008 – Overwhelmed (2024/11/04)
14. 11 Austria and Italy 2008 – August 25 – Venezia I (2024/11/08)