I am a native in this world And think in it as a native thinks

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Venezia

I had planned Venice so carefully.

Since I was arriving almost two weeks into this trip, there was no way to have minimal luggage. So when I was choosing a hotel, I looked for a place that was easily accessible from both Piazzale Roma (where I was arriving) and the train station (where I would be departing.) I wanted to be within walking distance so I wouldn't have to take a vaporetto or a water taxi, but without having to cross too many canals. I even went into Google Earth and looked at the bridges I would have to use to make sure I could lug my suitcases up and down the steps.

I found the perfect hotel, two small bridges from Piazzale Roma, and one large bridge away from the train station, and though those bridges definitely looked a lot smaller on Google Earth than they did when I was hoisting my stupid suitcase up the stairs, I managed, and I made it to the hotel with only one brief stop to rest on the way.

Only to find they had no record of my reservation. And they were fully booked. This would have been bad enough in any normal city, but the prospect of having to leave, to go to another hotel, to have to cross more %&#$! canals, almost had me in tears.

But they assured me they would straighten it out, and while I waited they put me in the garden and brought me coffee and juice. After an hour or so, the manager told me they had made an error, and entered the reservation into their system for August instead of April, and handed me a room key.

At that point I really would have slept in the basement, but instead I walked into this:


Eighteen foot ceilings, wooden beams, Roman shades, and a view of the canal -- a much nicer room than the one I had reserved, and quite possibly the most perfect Venetian hotel room ever. Moral: always hang on to your printed confirmation. And pack lightly.

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