Venice

My first glimpse of the romance of Venice

My mum has always wanted to go to Venice. It has been a dream of hers for most of her life, and after the gift of some money we decided to go together. This was a huge trip for Mum because it was her first time abroad since she emigrated to Australia and then came back again at the age of 12. It was also my first time in Europe so a first for both of us. In order to make life easy for the trip we had booked airport assistance for me - this involves being taken through the airport in a wheelchair and having help through security and being first on the plane. This helps enormously because I find the long queues exhausting and painful, sometimes standing is worse than walking so queueing is my worst nightmare.

in Cannaregio

We were lucky to be able to afford a week's trip, but really this is necessity rather than indulgence. Flights wipe me out. I only had NYC to compare it to so I wasn't expecting to be as tired after a two hour flight, but still my legs and feet swell enormously, my joints ache and I lose some function. We arrived at 9pm and made the choice to spend money on a water taxi rather than struggle on and off a bus or ferry. This sped up the journey across the lagoon and gave me space to stretch my legs, also we would get the view as we approached the city. In reality, arriving was slightly eerie as we passed by dark and deserted islands which turned out to be Murano and the Greek Orthodox cemetery. It was misty, and sea spray splashed against the windows of the cabin so all we could make out were dim lights through the gloom. Then we saw buildings, ducked under a bridge and we were there; a tiny canal with tall buildings either side, atmospheric lighting and not a person in sight. We passed under tiny bridges, across the back of a hospital with an ambulance boat parked outside then our driver began to reverse into and even smaller canal until we could see a tiny lit up garden in a little courtyard. We disembarked at our hotel and were glad to make our way to straight to bed.

We were given a disabled room which I was happy to see had a bath with shower over it, plus a walk-in shower at the opposite corner. There was a little seat attached to the wall, that had a plastic seat with two handles. I found out part way through my shower that the seat with handles was just placed on top of the drop down seat and was not at all secure as I lurched forward! For me it is important to have both a shower and a bath, because I need a walk-in shower part of the time, but also need to soak myself in a very hot bath to help with pain and stiffness (although sometimes I get stuck and need a hand out).

A mask workshop in the Rialto

We were offered the hotel wheelchair to get around but I felt I didn't need it on the first day and soon realised I would have needed someone super fit to push me around. The flat areas were fine but there are simply so many bridges! If permanently using a wheelchair I would have been able to explore the more tourist areas such as St Mark's Square, but trying to negotiate small bridges was impossible and the larger bridges passed St.Marks looking out to San Giorgio Maggiore were ramped, but so steep mum would never have been able to push me up and over them. They have tried their best to make an inaccessible city accessible, but the nature of Venice is the tiny streets, ornate bridges, and canals. The best way to get around and cut down on walking was to get a week's pass for the Vaporetto; the Venice equivalent of the bus. Payment for a week covers the whole area and you can hop on and off anywhere you like. This was excellent for me because we could drop off at a stop in each different area and explore a little way before moving on. It made it possible to see more of the city without doing all the leg work. Although, for me, the problem was wandering further than I ought because I couldn't stop looking at everything. It was also very easy to get lost, adding to the time on my feet.


The extra time gave me ample chance to explore the different areas and take some great photographs, while also making sure I had rest breaks in between.

Florian Piazza San Marco

My highlights of the week are many; the first glimpse of a turquoise canal with a gondola moored under a geranium covered bridge; the first time the vaporetto turned into the Grand Canal; visiting the memorial to the Holocaust in the Jewish Ghetto; afternoon tea at the Hotel Danieli; dinner under lamplight at the side of the Grand Canal; the eerily beautiful mask and puppet shops; the unexpected dome of painted cherubs inside an ordinary red brick church; macaroons and hot chocolate at Florian in St Mark's Square; getting lost in Castello at night with the glow from the costume shops lighting our way; sunshine in Santa Croce and the way it looked inhabited from one angle, but deserted from another.

The things I find difficult going away are timings for breakfast - I am very sleepy in the morning and extra time to get ready means an early start to make breakfast before they finish! If I get up early I find I need a nap in the afternoons. I have to take short trips out and be able to return to the hotel when tired. I was still affected by the short plane journey, but once you add up a train to London, the underground, the Gatwick Express, a shuttle, the plane, then a boat it isn't as straight forward as a two hour flight any more! I picked up a bug on the way out that settled in mid-week and became a chesty cough, sore throat and headache. I felt weak and had to stay in bed for a couple of mornings. On my return both me and mum had a chest infection that has taken six weeks to shift. These are the drawbacks of travelling with a lowered immune system.

the beautiful Santa Croce

If I manage to save enough to do this again I would book an apartment in a quieter area of the city for a longer stay. This means I could pick and choose when to get up, when to eat and also have rest days between active days to balance things out. I would also take emergency antibiotics and maybe travel by train instead with a stop in Paris. This way I would see somewhere else, but would also alleviate the dryness, the swelling and fatigue of flying. I would base myself in Santa Croce, the area I fell in love with on the last day because of its faded beauty and the terracotta colour that gives off warmth. I loved the tiny canals and the greenery that is slowly beginning to take over the buildings as they decay and sink. The reflections off the water were stunning and I felt relaxed walking through the tiny alley ways. Every square had a small bistro or coffee house and there were greengrocers, and small food shops to forage through. I felt as though I was strolling through another time and the bustling areas of the Rialto and San Marco seemed very far away.

Moonlight over the Grand Canal

No matter the difficulties, this was an incredible trip and I wouldn't have missed it for the world. Venice is magical; appearing one way by day and another by night. It has an enchantment that is timeless and hard to resist. The food was incredible and it is possible to be happy just wandering and browsing all day without paying a fortune for certain activities or museums. Going into the more studenty area of Dorsoduro reveals a more bohemian Venice, with wider canals, small leafy squares and buskers and art galleries galore. Cannaregio with its market area, charming Jewish bakeries and washing strung out high above the canals was a Venice where real Venetians stop for coffee, walk their dogs and visit the synagogue. San Marco was elegant but noisy, full of tourists having their pictures taken with pigeons and their masks on. The Basilica overlooks the piazza with its elegant coffee houses and extortionate art galleries. I never tired of seeing a new bridge or balcony and some of my photographic efforts can be seen here. I bid Venice farewell on our final sunny evening, knowing that although I need to find a more comfortable way of being                                                                         there, I will certainly be back.