Off the ship

This is the Al Vivito Hotel in Mestre (hidden behind the umbrella).

 

Al Vivito Hotel.  That is where we are now.  We were not allowed on the ship because I had a cold.  A bit of a worry this, because I have had a cold for about the last three weeks, the perfect accompaniment for a holiday. Driving poor Rose nuts with a continual dry cough.  Must  be the Moroccan air. Maybe.

This hotel is in Mestre, which is a small town near Venice. 

A miracle happened in Barcelona, they found our missing bag!

So, as someone said, how did we find the Sagrada Familia?  Turned left at Barcelona that's how. By the time the bag fun was done, we had about two hours to see Barcelona, so got a taxi to see Gaudi's masterpiece.

Sorry, but I seem to be an architectural grinch.  Sure it was large, and it had towers, just like in the photos, but I felt strangely unimpressed.  Maybe if it was painted, because right now the yuck brown finish does nothing for it.

There was a queue to get inside, so flagged that one away.

We walked back to the hotel, via La Rambla, quite nice.

The hotel advises us not to carry cameras or handbags, as there is a 100percent chance you will get robbed exiting the hotel. I hope NZ never gets this bad. Ripped off by the taxi going to the airport, and my impression of Spain is "don't want to come back here!"  Maybe it is my imagination but they seem to have an attitude problem. Maybe they just don't like foreigners.

What's next?  Six days in Asolo, an old village not far from here. Then back to Venice to this hotel for another two nights so we can see Venice.

We are now sitting drinking coffee in the square in Mestre, and it is most relaxing.  The Italians seem to have a better attitude and things here seem very relaxed and civilised. Apart from the odd beggar.