SIN ✈ ITALY; Venice

SIN ✈ ITALY; Venice

• 13 June 2013

Click here to read my previous post on spending a Day in:
✈ Italy, Rome
✈ Italy, Florence & Pisa

With its laid back lifestyle, historic sights, long stream canals, iconic gondolas, and the many quiet alleys, Venice's always on everyone’s 'want to go' and 'must go' city. Indeed, it was a beautiful place and I enjoyed my day there although the experience was a little dampened by the rain. Nevertheless, this place leaves me wanting to come back for more, especially since it's considered one of the most romantic cities in the world.

Breakfast on a Typical day

#ootd #unfiltered

This morning, we journeyed along the Italian Alps to Venice. Glad that I can now say I’ve stepped foot onto Venice before the whole city sinks. I'm not kidding about the sinking. Research has also shown that Venice is sinking at a rate faster than previously predicted. Venice could potentially sink as the years pass which makes me more motivated to visit the pretty city or prob now, even more happy that I've visited it!

My first ‘encounter’ with Venice was in Secondary 2 when I studied Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice, during Literature class. Other than that, Venice in my memory has always been a very beautiful very romantic place, like one of the more perfect places for a guy to propose to a girl on the Gondola with a musician playing love songs on board. In such a situation, how can the girl reject you right! One day, it’ll be enchanting to visit this place again with the one I love.

Venice is an island offshore (I didn’t know that initially!); we had to take a boat across to reach. So early in the morning, we needed to wait at the harbour area before taking a motor launch across to Venice.

It’s something like the Statue of Liberty in USA, on an island by itself.



The allure of Venice attracts all tourists like myself with its vintage charm. I felt like I was in another world, an old-world and a secret island, when I arrived. This island wins hands down in terms of its spectacular architecture and its scenic views.

Charming City

Beautiful City // Venice 2013

We walked past the Bridge of Sighs

An interesting sight in Venice. It was inspired by the sighs of prisoners as they walk pass it towards the executioners. There, they could see their family members from the glass inside, but not the other way round.

Walked to St Mark’s Square and walked around St Mark's Basilica, Doge's Palace and St Mark’s Campanile, a replica of the original watchtower that collapsed in 1902.

Piazza de San Marco Campanile // Venice 2013

Mandatory Touristy shot w the Birds

Venice was crowded with tourists who came in a big tour group. I didn't like it for that fact, because it didn't feel like I was in Europe at all. Sigh. That's what happens when a place becomes too touristy. Weather was bad that day because there was strong wind and a bad rain :(

*trying to be artistic here*

Everything feels so right, the gondolas are rightly in place. Like what we have all imaged Venice to be

I swear that dude was checking me out hurhur. He wanted to take a picture w me and I awkwardly refused, so this is the best alternative I guess? Explains my awkward position in this picture...

Wanna ride with me?
YAY AND FINALLY, it's my turn!
Time to get into the Gondola, and the ride took us about 30-45mins around the City

Everywhere just looked so picturesque, breathtaking ~









YAY I RODE ON THE GONDOLA!

Bucket List Checked
I’ve always resisted taking Gondolas elsewhere because I wanted to save my first experience for the authentic one in Venice. I remember there was one in Venetian Hotel, Macau and of course, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.

Anyways, #justsaying I don’t think it’s worth S$60/pax to ride on this Gondola. That's why I kept spamming pictures on the Gondola, don't know when I'll return to Venice.

It'll get a little boring after a while on the ride, I mean it's more or less the same right? So throughout the entire ride, I was trying to get a perfect artistic shot of me on the Gondola! Here are some of the chosen pics amongst the 1000000000 pics I took ~ #don'tjudge




It’s really paying just for the experience more than the ride.
And, if I ever take it again, I would take it at night cause from photos, it’s way nicer with the lights around it. Plus, it was raining when I rode it, making my first experience less bearable.

Visited a Venetian glass factory and was fascinated by a master glassblower’s demonstration. Half the time in the glass-filled showroom, I was trying my very best to be careful not to knock into any glass pieces else I’d have to pay for it. I mean, errr... want to buy, buy a perfect piece not some shattered glass pieces right!

Did you know? Glass making is an art form that started in Murano

This is what we all imagine Venice to be. You can find it by following small passageways that lead to narrow canals. These quiet streets, in residential areas, are among the most pleasant places to stroll and get a taste of Venice away from the popular tourist sights.

In Venice, there are many small passageways that lead you to god knows where, you'll probably not get lost around there but just ensure you know where's what. I particularly love roaming around and strolling along the small passageways... the narrowness and quietness is pleasantly therapeutic. You'll get a taste of Venice away from the massive tourist crowd, which is good because I wanted to have a feel of the place just by itself.

 The other streets outside were packed with small unique shops selling exquisite souvenirs for tourists like you and I to buy. The typical items were accessories, keychains, magnets, postcards and the most interesting of all? Venetian Masks! I was very tempted to buy a few home but I have no use for them at all, so I decided to give them a miss.

We had Italian lunch at one of the restaurants on the food streets and it proved to be a good choice!

Juicy Scallops // Shell fish

Hawaiian Pizza // The only flavour I'd eat

Seafood Platter // Again, the sautéed spinach was awesome!

Seafood Vongole

There is this inexplicable charm that The Floating City exudes, and a certain magic that lingers. Somewhat mysterious, somewhat mystical; everything is a hundred times prettier, and miraculously filled with love.

That's all for Venice, coming up next, Milan!

Till then,