This is a city that just
takes your breath away
64
I had, in my head, an idea of where
I might be going - as like every girl, I
had been dropping hints about various
romantic European city breaks for as
long as I could remember! We arrived
at the airport and I was hoping to catch
a glimpse of where I might be going
through the list of live departures on
the screen. I figured I could calculate
the time of our arrival compared to
the usual two hour check-in time and
work out the surprise destination – or
not! Unsurprisingly, the departure
screens had numerous flights to various
European cities all departing within
minutes of each other. Even at check-in
the attendant muttered the destination
to my partner under her breath and so I
went all the way through airport security
and check-in still without knowing where
I was travelling to.
Eventually, and with a lovely chilled glass
of early morning bucks fizz (because
it’s always acceptable at the airport),
my partner handed me a ‘Venice guide
book’ and the long awaited surprise was
revealed. Three nights and four days in
the city of love - I couldn’t wait!
This is a city that just takes your breath
away. From the intertwined cobbled
streets to the narrow maze of canals,
Venice has an overwhelming sense of
culture which swallows you up for the
duration of your stay. It is a city which
has an overwhelming sense of local
culture, which hasn’t been swallowed up
by the typical English cafés and pubs,
which frequent many neighbouring cities.
In true tradition, my partner had booked
the most incredible hotel fit for a Venetian
queen, with Venetian furniture, gold lined
walls, a huge gold four poster bed and
wonderful views overlooking the Grand
Canal. Each morning we woke up to the
sound of the market traders and delivery
boats ferrying their goods up and down
the canal – a welcome relief from the
sound of road traffic in England.
We arrived late afternoon and after
checking-in to our hotel and opening
another bottle of champagne (courtesy
of my lovely colleagues) we set about
finding the restaurant my partner had
booked for my birthday meal. Our fist
walk around the city proved difficult