Long, but so far relatively uneventful day today. I left my accommodation around 9 [the tap in the bathroom didn't work, so I filled my water from the showerhead] and cycled to the centre of Verona, to the arena. It looked like quite a cool city. I was sad not to see more of it, but it also feels good to make such fast progress. The cycle out of Verona was quite uninspiring. I stopped at an aldi and picked up some pastries and chocolate to fuel me for the day ahead.
After leaving the suburban industrial estates I found myself, for the whole morning, climbing up and down a surprising amount of hills. The views were nice, and the downhills were fun, so I didn’t mind so much, but it did worry me a little about whether I’d make it to venice in time. I also saw some of the biggest vineyards I’ve yet seen. It seems the Italians have vineyards in place of fields! The cicadas, which have been steadily growing in volume, are particularly loud in these places. Luckily Venice is devoid of them.
Soon all my pastries had been eaten and the hills, with their vineyards, narrow towns and crumbling, abandoned buildings were left behind. For the second 70km of the day I was on flat, straight cycle paths through forests, and threading my way through the roads and pavements of modern towns. This part was relatively uninteresting. I did have to duck under several low trees, carry my bike over one and around another, but that was about it.
Around 6 I had to stop to investigate a strange ‘bike friendly’ underpass under train tracks. The sight of a woman wheeling her bike down and up the wooden ramps which accompanied the many stairs convinced me I’d be okay. Once through there I was soon cycling over the bridge towards Venice. The city is technically in a lagoon, but I still feel as though I have now made it from sea to sea!
I arrived in the city proper around 6:50, found the bike parking, unpacked some of my luggage to reduce my load, and set off for the hotel. The ferry was spenny and I had time to kill. Ben [my brother who I'd be meeting] had missed his first train, then the second had been delayed. I’m still waiting for him in fact (it’s 8:30). I walked the maze of streets. Each subsequent one was the thinnest street I’d ever seen. I can now understand Dad’s warning about a (fortunately fictitious) one way system. Each street and canal was also one of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. This is a city untouched by the car. It’s honestly incredible. I would very much like to have another night here.
I bought some mango gelato on the way, and eventually ended up near to the hotel. I went to a bar nearby and got a beer while I waited for Ben. That’s where I am now.
***
Ben arrived around half 9. I said hi to him and Dowler [Ben's friend and travel companion]. They put my bags in their room and checked in. I had cleaned the worst of the muck off and changed my clothes in the bar, so we went straight to a nearby pasta restaurant. Dowler recommended the venetian spaghetti vongole (spag with clams) and we all got that. He also procured a bottle of white wine and treated us to the meal. It was very good, and it was so nice to interact with people I knew!
After the meal we wandered over to a gelato place. Ben paid. We found ourselves in a square where 2 restaurants had bands outside mainly playing soundtracks, and seemingly alternatingly competing for the audience’s attention. We watched that for a while, then headed back to the bar I’d been at, where I bought a round. We hit one more bar after that, by which point I was feeling somewhat drunk! On going back to the hotel I simply walked in, set up my bed on the floor, and fell asleep.
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