Harbour City Ramblings

Along with the bizarre second meeting of Brian and Elizabeth in Rome on Monday, Sept. 22nd- also the Anniversary of Lost and the crash of Oceanic Flight 815 just 4 years back- a couple other strange occurrences happened.

In Search of Caesar

After seeing the Vatican Museum and other sights in Rome that morning, we had yet to do one of the top things on my Rome list: Finding the site where Julius Caesar was assassinated on March 15th, 44 BC.  Even with all the bad omens, and warnings of negative dreams from his wife Calpurnia, Caesar’s good friend Brutus- one of the 60 conspirators in the assassination- encouraged him to go forth to Senate that day. Shortly after addressing the senate, he fell dead at the foot of Pompey’s statue succumbing to multiple stab wounds.

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On Monday night we took an overnight train from Rome to Venice. We arrived around 7am and had a full day to check out the city before departing via another night train to Munich, Germany at 10:50pm.

Our Venetian experience began when we stepped aboard a little passenger boat in order to get from one side of the city to another through the Grand Canal. Boat is truly the only way to get around, considering the whole of Venice is comprised of 118 islands.

We managed to sit directly at the front of our boat, and it was a clear day with just a few clouds on the horizon as the sun was rising and we motored on in. Our first stop was the infamous Piazza San Marco with it’s towering bell-tower, flocks of pigeons, tons of tourists and beautiful basilica.

The Doge’s Palace

We hadn’t planned out the day or even really knew what all there was to see, so we decided to take a tour inside the Doge’s Palace. The palace was previously the past Mayor’s dwelling and contained court, state and administration rooms, but is now a museum. There’s a spectacular fireplace in each of the many rooms, and some beautiful artwork including the largest oil painting in the world, Tintoretto’s “Paradise.” Having come from the Vatican Museum the day before, the artwork paled in comparison. But the armory, and a few floors of prison cells were very cool.

The trek to the prison was by far the best part though, as we walked the Bridge of Sighs. And unfortunately for those viewing it from the outside, it’s currently mostly covered in advertisements to hide the restoration work. So I’m plenty content we went in the Doge’s Palace and walked first-hand the path prisoners would have walked, peering out the tiny windows and sighing, knowing it were their last glimpse of freedom.

The Island of Murano

The rest of the day we wandered the labyrinth of back-streets and hopped over to the glass-blowing island of Murano, which is exactly as it sounds- glass factories and hundreds of shops to sell their products. We wandered down an alleyway and got to watch the process at the Formia Furnace.

All-in-all our day in Venice was a relaxing one, and we basically just took in the stunning city separated by it’s hundreds of tiny canals and one main one- the Grand Canal- which is 50 meters wide as it’s best, with only 3 bridges to cross it… That’s why all the gondolas.

That night, awaiting our train, we met a cool couple, Walt and Natasha, originally of South Africa. When they sat down we got to talking and sure enough they were headed to Oktoberfest. We informed them that we planned to meet Brian and Elizabeth Thursday morning and if they were up for it to stop by and hit some tents with us. Hey, the more the merrier.

Enough relaxation though, it’s time to endure some hard-earned drinking. Oktoberfest here I come…

I’ve been tracking down those I know, through various means, who have traveled through Europe and am gathering a collection of great tips. It’s a few months away still, but time will ultimately fly by all too quickly and I’ll do what I can now to prevent impending unpreparedness.

We’re flying into Frankfurt, Germany, the 8th largest airport in the world, and the 3rd busiest airport as far as passenger traffic goes in all Europe, behind London’s ‘Heathrow’ and Paris’s ‘Charles de Gaulle’. From there we’re traveling counter-clockwise through Western Europe: From Frankfurt to Amsterdam, the Netherlands for a while, then through Belgium & France down to Italy. There’s a possibility of a Greecian get-a-way in there, if we feel up to it (through a last-minute, inexpensive flight). Then before flying out of Frankfurt we’ll stop by Munich, for the 175th Oktoberfest. Only 101 days until it’s commencement date! Fitting way to end the trip, I’d say.

Oktoberfest began in 1810, a wedding celebration for the masses from crowned Prince Ludwig and his Princess Therese. The 16-day event sees around 6.2 million people each year at the Theresienwiese, from all over the world.

So, I now know from various sources to cross the busy roads with confidence, when in Rome. Coffee is less expensive in Venice when ordered standing up as opposed to seated at a table. To not use the convenient on-the-street toilet “pods” in Paris, pour des raisons de propreté (or, for cleanliness purposes, thank you cousin Ali). Tipping isn’t necessary, as it’s included on most restaurant bills. And Amsterdam is best experienced on bike… among many other tricks of the trade that will come to me only when faced with the journey.

Any other tips and advice are most welcome, even your own European (or non-European) vacation recollections, as I’m sure any information I can get will be of some use!