Travel to Venice, Italy Day 2

Paris, France -> Prague, Czech -> Venice, Italy

See Venice Day 1

The next day, we bought 24 hour tickets for vaporetta (water taxis) to explore islands, Murano island and Burano island that's close to Venice. I realized later that actually the ticket that we bought is for 24 hour vaporetta in Venice only and not to the island. Luckily, maybe because it's weekend? that there are no one checking the tickets.

First, since we got unlimited rides, we took the vaporetta and cruising along the canals. See the view.

Pic: One of vaporetta stops -- Ferrovia.

Pic: Not sure whether this is some building of purpose (library etc) or the palace houses used by the wealthy.

Pic: Hilton hotel.

Pic: San Giorgio Maggiore up close which we can saw yesterday from Doge's Palace and a vaporetta.

Pic: View of Doge's Palace from the water.

Pic: One church in another island.

We arrived at Murano island. This island is famous for producing original Murano glass (you can see it at shops, KLCC got some). Just when we arrived, we were being ushered to see a demostration on glass blowing on one of the factory. After the demo, we asked for some money (sabar je la). They said that the art of blowing/making glass was passed through generations from father to son and there are no school for this. Then, we were ushered to their gift shops where people can purchase vases, dinnerware etc. (nice tactic).

Pic: Red brick building at Murano island (must be hot living here)

We break for lunch at the restaurant at this square. Opposite from Rome, we had been lucky to find all good food in Venice in spite of it full of tourists.

Afterwards, we hopped the vaporretta to go to the next island, Burano. Burano is a fishing village. While Murano is famous for it's glass, Burano is famous for it's laceworks. And a unique thing about Burano is the houses was painted in different colours.





This trip lasted whole day but it was worth it.

Travel to Venice, Italy Day 1

Paris, France -> Prague, Czech -> Venice, Italy

On the next morning, we was woke up by a loud, rude knock on the door from the housekeeper asking whether we are staying another day or not. And she did this to each room. Really loud. Sometimes, Italian can be a bit standoffish. So, we quickly get ready and went out of the hotel with hope of finding another hotel nearby that we can transfer.

Off we go with a crowd wave that seems to be going in one direction, so we just go with the flow. Stop for a while for some European breakfast (croissant and coffee) at park at a table. Them usually took it standing by the counter/bar. The old ladies beside us kept staring at us. Never seen Asian people before? or trying to place which country? Hope the conclusion is not India hahahaha. Just a bit darker and straight to India folks!

Pic: Ni namanya gondola.

There are so many canals and bridges. Everywhere you look is tourist and occasional locals working for tourists. And of course, the first gandola we saw, jakun sekejap la yek. Then, saw gondola that parked, of couse stopped to take pictures. Padahal lepas tu banyak giler jumpa gandola dan tak heran dah. Then, we somehow arrived at Rialto bridge. The bridge full of stops and besides the bridges, there are lots of markets and more shops.

Pic: Rialto bridge and view from top of Rialto bridge.

The morning light, happy mood, it really is breathtaking scenery and view from the bridge, I have to admit that I feel romantic already (hehehe).

Pic: Pak cik bawa gondola sambil nyanyi.

Unfortunately, we made a decision even before we arrived to not ride the gondola because of money shortage. 30 minutes gondola ride is equal to one night room (mahal gilos tau). But I regret a bit la (huhuhu, next time, ada rezeki, insya-allah).


We come across, a house where Mozart stay for a while while composing one of his music. They travel from one country to the next while composing and you can come across their house at any other country. On our way to the must-see Piazza San Marco, we took a wrong turn and come across Teatro La Fenice.

From there, we can't find our road on the map. Anybody who's going to Venice, first thing you must buy is their map as there are so many roads (gaps between the building) and very confusing. Don't rely on the maps on book guide (like us) because it's not sufficient. We bought a map on the second day, I think. Eventhough you don't mind getting lost and just go with the flow, even then, with a map, you still get lost. But from here, just go where the crowd goes and suddenly we arrived at Piazza San Marco.

Pic: St. Mark Basilica and Campanile

I can see what the fuzz is with Piazza San Marco. It's a very large square line with St. Mark Basilica on the front with it's bell tower; St. Mark Campanile. On the sides, it's shops and cafe; perfect for people watching. And in the middle, thousands of merpati birds. You can bought 1 euro of bird seeds and prepare to be attacked, I mean, swamped.

Pic: I don't like fluttering birds to near to me, okay. Banyak tau nih.

Pic: Dah takut dah nih.

Pic: St. Mark Basilica up close.

Pic: Some shops at the sides.

Just up front is the Doge's Palace where the city's administration took place with Doge acts as Ruler. It is also connected to the prison where the famous Casanova was held. If you watched Casanova (movie starring Heath Ledger), you can see the Doge's palace and the waterfront of the palace in more detail.

Pic: Doge's Palace

Pic: In front of the palace and overlooking San Giorgio Maggiore; a church.

Pic: The bridge of sighs

From the Doge's Palace, it is connected to the old prison by a bridge called Bridge of Sighs given by Lord Byron. It is the last view from the bridge that the prisoner will see before their imprisonment. It was said that prisoners would sigh at their final view of beautiful Venice out the window before being taken down to their cells. In reality, the days of inquisitions and summary executions were over by the time the bridge was built, and the cells under the palace roof were occupied mostly by small-time criminals. Another legend is lovers will be granted everlasting love and bliss if they kissed in a gondola at sunset under the bridge. :P


After that, a walk futher away and we come across a theater show at one of the piazza (square) near Accademia Bridge. Although, it's in Italy (or might be France, I forgot), but it's very entertaining as the face expression is being exaggerate or in other words, you can understand the storyline. They even involves audience where they point and say something (at me also) and one kid got scared and cry. I really like the costumes because it's so beautiful.

We took a detour to Accademia Bridge which is being renovated and sits down at one of the benches beside an art school where a dog tries to sniff my shoes.


The hotel near to our place, was full so we slept again in the crappy room.

Travel to Prague, Czech Republic Day 4

See Prague Day 3
See Prague Day 2
See Prague Day 1

Paris, France -> Prague, Czech -> Venice, Italy

Day 4 was nothing much because it was spent traveling from one country to the next. So, it's only story on the travel. The morning was spent packing. Then. we catch our flight, easyjet to Milan to get to Venice, Italy. It seems that there are no direct flight from Prague to Venice. From Milan, we took a train to Venice Mestre. When we landed at Milan, on my research, it said that we can reach Milan train station either by train (city train) or by bus. We cut our schedule pretty close as we were going to take the second last train into Venice.

So, we decided to use the train to go to the train station which located at Terminal 1 (we were at terminal 2). So, we took the transit bus to Terminal 1 only to be told, the train didn't go to train station and we're supposed to took the bus. Off we take the bus (luckily it's just there at the airport) but still have to wait a few minutes which I took the time to watch the smart looking Italian people. And what do you know, the bus that we took went to terminal 2 and stops there from a while to pickup people before going to train station.

Considering the traffic and the mistakes, we arrived late at Milan train station and have to take the last train which stops at Venice Mestre station. From there, we transit to another train into Venice. Venice is on an island and Venice Mestre is the connection between mainland and the island. The train ticket to Mestre is about RM300++ and the train to Venice is about 5 euro, I think.

At the train station, we only had time to buy sandwich before boarding, that's why no pictures. The train have rooms or coaches I think it called like Harry Potter train, if you can't imagine with about 6 seats facing each other. The trip is about 3 hours. I thought at first, it's like direct train but it actually stops to a lot of station to pickup people. By the time we reached Mestre, all of the people that we sits with were already departed. We travel night and were tried so we slept. I was concerned on the warning about people pickpocket you during the rides in train. Luckily, nothing bad happens.

When we arrived at Mestre and ask the conductor, which platforms is the train to Venice as we only had 10 minutes transit time. He said platform 3 which we went to but there was no train. We suspected it will arrived anytime soon. The signboard for destination is to places that we don't know. We tried to ask the locals but they don't speak English. One of the lady said to wait for her friend that went to buy something at the station.

But she took longer and while we were waiting, one train at platform 1 departed. When the friend came, she said the train that we saw departed is the train to Venice and it's the last train. I was very concerned by this time and taught we had to sleep at the train station. Suddenly, the locals look like a rough looking people with non that can speak English.

Luckily, my hubby suggested to walk outside of the station and there is a bus station outside. A bus was there. We asked the bus driver on which bus to go to Venice and luckily it's his bus. So, we bought the tickets (about 3 euro, I think) much cheaper than the train tickets. And watch the view of the water while crossing the bridge. He then stops at a bus station and everybody went out which left us confused whether we had arrived or not (as we can't see the canals hehehe). The bus driver nicely show us the way which actually just across the street :P.

We booked rooms very closed to train station that we were supposed to get out from because expected to arrived late. The walk is not to far and it's well lit with a few people still out (tourist, I think) taking pictures. We get to the hotel (forgot what's the name) and he took us to the next building. And the room was horrible. Really. There's a long cord of light in the middle of the room that about to fall down. The windows shows another wall. No TV, small room and looks like a motel which are not what was said in the hotel info during reservation. And we paid 79 euro per night which is the expansive between the 3 cities!

If you read information by other traveller on accommodation in Venice, they always said ask to change room if the room is not up to your standard. Maybe this why, they like to cheat people a bit. So, now when I travel, I always print up the reservation and the info of the room (usually attached) so that we can prove the rooms not as standard. But we were tired, it's passed midnight and time to sleep. Before I sleep, I thought, this is not a romantic city afterall.

Travel to Prague, Czech Republic Day 3

See Prague Day 2
See Prague Day 1

Paris, France -> Prague, Czech -> Venice, Italy

The third day was spent walking around old town. We see the astronomical tower. The clock have three components, the first one is representing the position of sun and moon, the moving sculptures and figures of Apostles and the last is calendar dials representing the months. I don't know how to read it anyway.

Pic: The astonomical tower and at the bottom, the clock.

The clock was made by Jan Růže (also called Hanuš) and his assistant Jakub Čech. The myths surrounding the clock is that after the completion of the clock, Hanuš was blinded so that he will never create another creation like that in any other place. Grisly huh.


There's a show where the Apostles dance by the stroke of noon or midnight but we missed it as we were coming down from the tower (like a cuckoo show). The show was brief and when I see it in Amazing Race Asia season 2, it's not much show really.

The view from the tower is magnificient. There's an entrance at the back of the tower with tourist centre, I think. You went up at by lift or climb up (it's not too high; you can manage).

Pic: View from the top, a very nice square with Church of Our Lady before Týn.

Then, we come to the Powder Gate. This imposing 65 metre high gothic tower was built in 1475 by Matej Rejsek as part of the city fortification. Later on, it was used as a store for gunpowder, giving it the name the Powder Tower.

Next to the Powder Gate is the Municipal House which have concert halls, restaurants and host balls and exhibition. I guess, it's on restoration when we go there.

That's all we see. We really took it easy at Prague and there's a lot more to see actually.