Today was a day we were both excited for. Everyone always told us that you need to take a romantic gondola ride when in Venice. It’s just what you do. The only problem is that they charge you like 80€ for a 30-40 minute ride, and as we have been seeing, it doesn’t look very relaxing at some spots.
As an alternate option, I had found a company months back called Row Venice. It was a not for profit company run by a group of women who are all high level racers. What they offer is a 90 minute lesson, for basically the same price as a gondola ride, where they teach you to row a Venetian boat. Not a gondola, because they are extremely difficult to steer and very tippy. This was a much more sturdy and larger wooden boat that offered anyone the ability to give it a try. We were pumped!
So, started with breakfast, which included chocolate cake because…..Italy.
Then we had about 35 minutes so make it from Dorsoduro (Southern Venice) all the way to the “Jewish Ghetto”, called Cannaregio (Northern Venice). This is not as easy of a task as it may sound in Venice, with its random alleyways going off in every direction, dead ends, and the ability to go in circles with absolute frustration.
Ashleigh’s little legs went into high gear to try to keep up with the strides of my gazelle legs. Story of our relationship. It all paid off, as we got there at 9:59 with one minute to spare!
We were introduced to our master rower, Regina, who didn’t speak a word of English. Because of this, we also had a translator, who we will call Maria because we think that was her name.
Fun fact: we found out Maria actually lives in the summer at her parents house literally across the alleyway from our hotel lobby. Because of this, we were able to pick her brain on Venetian lifestyle, dining in Dorsoduro, and gelato!!
We started off with Regina steering and being our main engine in the back, while Ashleigh stepped up to the plate to take us down the first canal.
We headed out to the open Laguna, where we took turns rowing out in the open, where there were no boats to collide with and we just spun in circles because I was so much stronger than her. We took turns both in the middle of the boat and at the back.
Unfortunately we don’t have any real pics of this because Maria was taking them with our actual camera, but we have some gems. We tried to take a picture of our camera screen, but it’s not great.
After this, we headed back down some local canals, taking turns. Regina had to stay at the back to steer because the canal was fairly narrow and there was a lot of boat traffic to avoid.
There was even some time spent where we were rowed down the canal and got to just sit and enjoy the view; so basically got a gondola ride out of this too. But they assured us, they don’t sing.
After we got back, we headed to a nearby gelato shop recommended by the ladies of Row Venice. It was located in this very non-touristy ghetto (that’s what they call it, not my description of how it looked), so you know it was going to be great. A couple minutes later, we found what we were looking for; Bacaro del Gelato!
We could see right away, with our gelato snob skills, this is more of the authentic gelato we were looking for.
Ashleigh got: fragola (strawberry), menta (mint – which she doesn’t even like and I’m not sure why she order this), and maracuja (passion fruit).
You gotta eat this stuff fast with these temperatures or they will melt within a minute!
I had: fragola and Limone. Simple, but tasted like amazing strawberry lemonade when mixed together.
This gelato passed our test. 10/10.
On the way back, we took the path towards the touristy areas since we were just going with the flow of people. I stopped at a small boutique store of men’s dressy shirts and ended up getting a couple at only 20€ each. I need to try to blend in with these smooth dressing Italian men trying to steal my lady, “ciao bella” they yell.
Oh shit, tourist!!
We made a quick stop for a photo op on the renowned Ponte Rialto. This main part of this bridge is similar to the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, where it has walled shops in the Center, but there are also steps along each side where you can walk out to enjoy the view, and selfie yourself obviously. We hadn’t been able to do so yet because the walkways had been under construction, but looks like they opens one side today.
Key tourist shot! Check!
The skies began to get dark, and it looked like the weather was about to turn. We didn’t even make it to the bottom of the bridge before the rain started!
Luckily, I’m always prepared and had a rain jacket for each of us, the worlds shittiest umbrella Ashleigh got for free to working a Hot 89.9 event, and a garbage bag to cover my backpack to protect the camera.
The good thing about the rain; it leaves the streets wide open of tourists because they all hide under cover of shops. The bad part about the rain; it made us try to rush getting home and hit absolutely every dead end, walk in circles (didn’t we just walk by that dog 3 times?) and really see what people mean about navigating this city.
We were drenched!
As we got closer to the locanda, the rain finally let up.
You can always tell our B&B because of the hard work and care they put into the greenery outside. Easy to spot.
The gelato didn’t do the trick after all of the cross city walking and rowing. We needed food. Particularly pizza and BEER!!!
We ordered another Venetian local craft beer, this time a rosso (red) to share.
Ashleigh ordered: Ae Oche – proscuitto, chiodini, salsiccia, carciofini (no clue what this stuff was besides proscuitto)
I ordered: Saporita – Gorgonzola cheese, cipolla (onion), salami picante (spicy salami)
The crust on these pizzas are all paper thin, which makes you able to enjoy their deliciousness without getting the same feeling as eating a medium Gabriel’s all to yourself.
After this, we cruised to the nerby Osteria we were at yesterday, across from the gondola yard, to get an aperitif drink. Today we both got Select Spritz – prosecco, “Select” aperitif liquor, soda water, and a little orange slice and olive to finish it off.
I made sure to catch the gondola for effect.
Sitting here, we also learned how Venetians get their Anazon.com orders; DHL water delivery! Imagine THAT delivery fee.
We decided to grab a change of scenery (because the current one was just terrible right? Vacation problems…..) and took our drinks to sit beside the Ponte Dell’Accademia to enjoy the scenery.
After this we just wandered aimlessly. As usual, no real destination in mind. One place we hadn’t checked out yet was Ponte dei Sospiri, better known as “The Bridge of Sighs”. This enclosed bridge is made of white limestone and has windows with stone bars. It connects the Prigioni Nuovo (new prison) to the interrogation rooms in the Doge’s Palace. The view from this bridge was the last view convicts saw before their imprisonment. It’s the white bridge up high connecting the two buildings in the background FYI, not the one we are standing on.
We went back to our locanda, got on some more appropriate dinner clothes than a tank top, and wanders down our narrow street to find something tasty to devour.
We found a great spot across the alley from an amazing restaraunt we ate at a couple nights ago. These restaraunt and their staff have so much character, we couldn’t get enough. They just make you feel so welcome.
For an antipasti, we got melanzane alla parmiagiana (eggplant Parmesan). It basically tasted like an amazing eggplant lasagna.
For our meal, Ashleigh orders lasagna alla Bolognese. We had to try at least one lasagna dish while we were in Italy. It basically looked exactly like the eggplant parmiagiana, but tasted much different. Scuisito!
Because I have had an amazing risotto dish in each region, and pretty much felt they were my favourite meals, I chose the risotto alla giornata. Before coming to Italy, I had never had risotto, and only knew it as the dish Gordon Ramsay called the chefs on Hell’s Kitchen idiots for over/under cooking. This one was yet again amazing. It was a asparagus risotto that tasted like creamy deliciousness!
For a long time now, I have listened to Ashleigh talk about how she can’t wait to try “grappe” in Italy. Grappe grappe grappe. Even when her brother told her it was terrible, she didn’t believe it. Since we have landed in Italy she kept wanting to buy a bottle, buy a shot, just get herself some grappe!! I, on the other hand, believed my brother in law, who makes the grossest drinks I have ever had for me. If he didn’t like it, it was probably really, really bad.
Grappe, so you know, is 35-60% alcohol that is made from frementing the skin, pulp, seeds, and stems of grapes. It is primarily served as a digenstivo, or after dinner drink.
I told her not to bother over and over and over. Anyways, here’s her face after trying a sip, and it’s so pleasant for me to watch and continuously say…….I told you so!
She could barely smell it without cringing. She was getting nervous sweats just looking at it. The grappe tasted like crappe. Anyways, as terrible as it was she had a few sips and looked like was going to run to the bathroom, so I did my husbandly duties and shot that dirt water down the hatch!!!!! It was like Italian moonshine……
FYI, after I did that she thanked me and said “you were right“. I have heard this many times since being married. She has changed for the better with that second ring!
We are pretty sad that tomorrow is our last full day in Italy. We have no specific plans for the day, but that doesn’t mean we won’t make the best of it.
Ciao!
The Hands
Nah.
Great view, great company, weird pizza. So tonno, we will always remember.. means “tuna” 🐟 .
hands on adventure 