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Second day I am hanging around Venice :)

How it happened?

If you remember from my previous post, the front wheel of my bike was somehow broken - looked like "8". So, had to fix it, but I have no skills in bicycle repairing...

In the morning, Adriano (my host from Warmshowers) helped me by taking my bike on a car to a bicycle mechanic in a nearby town. The shop was full of people, people are friendly, understand how to deal with bikes clearly better than me (I felt like a complete idiot for all the technical issues in these 2 days).

Me and bicyclerepairman).

The wheel was fixed. But the "Eight" on my wheel is not just so formed - on the double rim it rarely happens. The front wheel hub, a tricky piece with a dynamo machine inside, loosened up and would generally be good to replace. Tightened it up, they say - all they could do, they doesn't have the spare parts.. And also, the bottom bracket was broken. I left Uzhgorod - it was still approx. Somewhere along the way, it died. Changed it now. Another cable was changed. And in general, they say, it would be nice to change the whole transmission, but it is not cheap ... Well, I'll do it after returning back home.

Me and Adriano.

The bike when I bought it was second-hand, well, I had driven +8,000 km. Nothing ever eternal of such pieces :). For all, details and work, italian bike mechanics charged me 40 euros. Not so bad.

After that I went to Venice again.

Well, in clear weather it was much more pleasant than it was yesterday. Again left my bike on the parking near Piazzale Roma. I walked and walked in this majestic city until the evening...

I returned back when it was getting dark. Adriano and his son went to the mountains, they left the key.

Those guys charge rich tourists 80 euro for the tour...

Some time ago cruise ship broke the pier in Venice. It gave the start for an anti-touristic campain)

This selfie looks postmodern - soviet symbol on red-and-black (used by ukrainian nationalists). Well, its the painting of soviet socialist realism master Gely Korzhev on Venetian biennale - entrance is free.

The only thing you can get in Venice for free - drinking water.

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Again in Venice. Repaired my bike. Day 24 of cycling Ukraine-Portugal

Second day I am hanging around Venice :) How it happened? If you remember from my previous post, the front wheel of my bike was ...

Again in Venice. Repaired my bike. Day 24 of cycling Ukraine-Portugal

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We left Austria for a trip through the Alps. Its about 400 kilometers to the destination we are going in Italy. Driving on Saturday is never a great option, but we had no choice we had to meet our appointment. So we left after breakfast and made us ready for a 4 hour drive. Little that we know that also the Belgian people and the Germans had a summer holiday starting today. So what should have been 4 hours was 7,5 hours!! But with great scenery and a few stops due to traffic a nessecity with kids and toilets. And no I did not do #toiletthursday stops for blogs it was for the kids I promise!

Source: google maps where I drew the road trip me made

We took the route along the Brennerpass. The mountain pass autostrada that is famous for travelling from Austria to Italy. Its 1375 meter high and eventhough you feel your ears its not that bad. We chose this route because we didn’t want to do the tunnel. The tunnel we normally take is along the Gotthardpass in Switserland. Than you enter Italy through the other side. Via Milan instead of Verona like we entered lake Garda now. The sights at the lake are all gorgeous and we recommend all that travel here to do a trip by car around the lake and see all the great places it has to offer and the friendliest people.

The sights and the nature are just gorgeous

The traffic as I sad was very bad. We prepared ourselves and had a good breakfast and brought some water, biscuits and candy for the trip. We needed it because the road was one long traffic jam. Again we could have known. But never stress you are with your loved ones and as long as the kids can pee once in a while ( read 3 times ) you have nothing to worry about and you will like me be grateful that you can travel and be visiting family and lovedones.

In Italy the Brenner passage is called passo del Brennero

What I learned at the stop we made is that in the European Union there is a bill pending that maybe makes it possible to travel through this part of the alps by train. I remember when I was young there was a car train and that took you to switserland, I have to look up it that is still an option.

After the brenner passage we came to the border of Italy. Finally hahahah! There you have toll roads. Roads where you pay a few euros to pass and because that is always a thing of time aswell when there is holiday traffic we came prepared. We purchased a device in the Netherlands that had to be placed behind on the front window and besides the rear mirror, to not have to pay cash at the toll roads. That was great because we didnt have to go inline and that made us drive through in just minutes instead of half an hour minimum.

Than we saw the lake, lovely lake Garda

Lake Garda coming from the riva del Garda sideall information about this route and the brenner can be found https://nl.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brennerpas / photo is mine taken from my backseat during the drive

We are here now and will stay for a while enjoying family and friends, the sun, wine and great food. Reminiscing about a great drive here with green pastures while we all got to relax.

Untill we read again,

fuente

THE BRENNERPASS ROUTE TO ITALY

We left Austria for a trip through the Alps. Its about 400 kilometers to the destination we are going in Italy. Driving on Saturday is nev...

THE BRENNERPASS ROUTE TO ITALY

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Let's discover one of the most fascinating cities in the world. Venice was born as a set of small islands connected by them by hundreds of bridges, this photo was taken from the 'Ponte dell'Accademia' and looks towards Punta della Dogana, the place where goods arriving from all over the world were stored .

In the XVIII century Venice was among the most refined cities in Europe, with a strong influence on the art, architecture and literature of the time. At the height of its power, in the thirteenth century, Venice dominated most of the Adriatic coast, regions such as Dalmatia, Istria, many of the Aegean islands, Crete, Cyprus, Corfu, and was the most important military power and among the main merchant forces in the Middle East. There are countless noteworthy churches that can be found in the lagoon city, both for their architectural qualities and for the artistic treasures contained therein [32]. Among the most important are the octagonal Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute, with its imposing dome that stands out from the incile of the Grand Canal and the famous and majestic Basilica of San Marco, the city's cathedral and seat of the Patriarch and the Patriarchate of Venice, located in the square of the same name, next to the Doge's Palace. Among other important religious buildings, we have: the Basilica of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, the Church of Santa Maria dei Miracoli, the Church of San Francesco della Vigna, the Church of San Zaccaria, the Basilica of Santi Giovanni e Paolo, the Church del Redentore, the latter built on the island of Giudecca on a project by Andrea Palladio, and the Basilica of San Pietro di Castello which includes two chapels by Veronese. Apart from schools and institutional buildings such as Palazzo Ducale, almost all the buildings are identified with the name of the family that founded them or that left their mark on them. Among the most famous Palazzo Fortuny, in Gothic style donated to the city of Venice by the widow of the Spanish artist Mariano Fortuny, Palazzo Grassi, by Giorgio Massari, Palazzo Mocenigo with a Renaissance-style facade, Palazzo Grimani [33], owned by the state and seat of the Court of Appeal and Palazzo Loredan in Gothic style. Often two or more families are mentioned in the name such as Palazzo Cavalli-Franchetti, or Palazzo Gritti-Badoer, or the branch of the family is specified (eg Palazzo Morosini del Pestrin).

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Discover Venice

Let's discover one of the most fascinating cities in the world. Venice was born as a set of small islands connected by them by ...

Discover Venice

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Italy’s most threatened animal species include the Marsican brown bear, European eel, Adriatic sturgeon, and Mediterranean monk seal — all facing critical risk due to habitat loss, pollution, and human activity.

Key Species at Risk in Italy

Here are some of the most endangered animals identified by the IUCN Red List for Italian vertebrates and recent conservation reports:

Species
Status (IUCN)
Habitat
Main Threats

Marsican brown bear (Ursus arctos marsicanus)
Critically Endangered
Central Apennines
Habitat fragmentation, poaching, low population (~50 individuals)

European eel (Anguilla anguilla)
Critically Endangered
Rivers, lakes, Mediterranean
Overfishing, pollution, dams blocking migration

Adriatic sturgeon (Acipenser naccarii)
Critically Endangered
Po River basin
Overfishing, habitat degradation, water pollution

Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus)
Endangered
Mediterranean coasts
Tourism disturbance, fishing nets, habitat loss

Italian cave salamander (Speleomantes italicus)
Endangered
Apennine caves
Habitat destruction, climate change

Common dolphin (Delphinus delphis)
Endangered
Mediterranean Sea
Bycatch, pollution, decline in prey fish

Griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus)
Near Threatened
Sardinia, Abruzzo
Poisoning, habitat loss

Zelkova sicula (tree, but important)
Critically Endangered
Sicily
Extremely restricted range, climate change

Sources: IUCN Italian Red List, Managaia report on endangered Italian speciesmanagaia.eco, Flora Fauna Fun endangered species list.

Why These Species Are Disappearing

• Habitat loss & fragmentation: Urbanization, roads, and agriculture reduce viable living space.

• Pollution & climate change: Rivers and seas are heavily impacted by industrial waste and warming waters.

• Overexploitation: Fishing and hunting pressure remain high for species like sturgeon and eel.

• Small populations: Some species, like the Marsican bear, have dangerously low numbers, making them vulnerable to disease or accidents.

⚠️ Risks & Conservation Challenges

• Genetic bottlenecks: Tiny populations risk inbreeding and reduced resilience.

• Human conflict: Bears and wolves often clash with farmers, leading to illegal killings.

• Tourism pressure: Monk seals and dolphins are disturbed by boats and coastal development.

• Weak enforcement: Protective laws exist but are inconsistently applied.

Conservation Efforts

• Protected areas: National parks (Abruzzo, Gran Paradiso) safeguard habitats.

• Reintroduction programs: Vultures and sturgeons are being bred and released.

• EU directives: Italy follows Natura 2000 and Habitats Directive for species protection.

• Awareness campaigns: NGOs highlight biodiversity loss to push for stronger policies.

Italy’s biodiversity is rich but fragile. Protecting these species means balancing human development with ecological preservation. I

Which animal species are most threatened with extinction in Italy?

Italy’s most threatened animal species include the Marsican brown bear, European eel, Adriatic sturgeon, and Mediterranean monk seal — all...

Which animal species are most threatened with extinction in Italy?

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We started the trip in Venice, Italy! See my recent post Share My World: Venice: Part 1 for the day we spent together. This is a special extended post on Piazza San Marco or St. Mark's Square.

Piazza San Marco

When standing in the square you are surrounded on all sides by very distinct and interesting architecture. On the east end is Basilica di San Marco or St. Mark's Basilica, and the Palazzo Ducale (Doge's Palace). To the north and south are the buildings of the Procuratie, the former offices of the Procurators, the chief officals of the Republic 1. In the square is also the Torre dell'Orologio or clock tower and the campanile. All of which you can see in the picture below.

Note: You can click on all photos to see them larger.

Video with my DSLR.

Chillin' in the piazza

Photo credit: @jarvie

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Basilica di San Marco or St. Mark's Basilica

In my desire to learn more about the places I was going to visit. I listened to Dan Brown's mystery thriller novel Inferno. It was so fun to see the basilica in person, especially the horses!

The Horses of St. Mark are a set of four bronze horse statues on a balcony above St. Mark’s Basilica. As Langdon notes, the horses were brought to Venice after being pillaged from Constantinople in 1204. However, the originals have been moved for preservation, while the ones described in the book that can be seen in the square are replicas. 2

The decorative collars were added to the horses’ necks in 1204 by the Venetians to conceal where the heads had been severed to facilitated their transportation by ship from Constantinople to Venice. 3

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St. Mark's Campanile

The campanile or bell tower is 323 feet (98.6 meters) tall. I has a long and tragic history. 4

The construction was started in 1173
It was severely damaged in 1388
Set on fire and destroyed in 1417
Seriously damaged by fire in 1489
Damaged by an earthquake in 1511
It was damaged in both 1548 and 1556
Lighting damaged it in 1658
A fire from lighting in 1745
Damaged again by lightning in 1761 and 1762
It collapsed in 1902
It was rebuilt in 1912

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Another cool fact about the bell tower

Each of the five bells of the campanile had a special purpose. The Renghiera (or the Maleficio) announced executions; the Mezza Terza proclaimed a session of the Senate; the Nona sounded midday; the Trottiera called the members of the Maggior Consiglio to council meetings and the Marangona, the biggest, rang to mark the beginning and ending of working day. They are tuned in the scale of A. 4

Torre dell'Orologio or Clock Tower

In 1493, the Venetian Republic commissioned Giovan Paolo Rainieri the clock The clock was inaugurated on February 1, 1497.
In 1752 Bartolomeo Ferracina started work on replacing the clock, having successfully tendered for the job in public competition.
In 1857 Luigi de Lucia started another restoration, and added a digital display.
In 1996, another restoration was initiated, to be funded by watchmakers Piaget. 5

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I especially like the winged lion that you can see on the clock tower and other places around Venice. It is the symbol of St. Mark.

Venice is a great city. I enjoyed spending an afternoon there with my friends wandering around the beautiful and unique city.

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Share My World: Venice, Italy: Part 2

We started the trip in Venice, Italy! See my recent post Share My World: Venice: Part 1 for the day we spent together. This is a special ex...

Share My World: Venice, Italy: Part 2

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Hi everyone

In today's post I want to tell you a little about what I did yesterday, because I also had the opportunity to visit a beautiful city called Padua and which is practically in the Veneto region, I went by train with my niece whom I accompanied because she had to take an important exam for the university, and she has practically been enrolled at the University of Padua for some years.

I confess that I have been to Padua several times, because A few years ago I practically had a half-girlfriend, with whom I frequented, and therefore every now and then I also like to go back to maybe meet some old friends, certainly the part I like more than Padua is Prato della Valle which you can practically see in the photo and it is where the market practically takes place, in fact while I was waiting for my niece to conclude this exam I took a tour inside this market.

Think of yourself that besides being a city rich in history and culture Padua is famous all over the world for its ancient university which was founded in 1222 and is today one of the most prestigious not only in Italy but also in Europe. that's why in fact my niece who is practically studying medicine chose to come to Padua from Milan to study.

Then Padua has a great religious importance having been the home of Sant'Antonio one of the saints certainly most revered by the church and famous throughout the world especially in South America, in fact here is the famous Basilica of Sant'Antonio which contains the relics of the Santo and it is certainly one of the main tourist attractions of the city that you absolutely must not miss if you come to Padua.

When my niece finished taking the exam we walked around the streets of Padua, and we had an aperitif at the famous Pedrotti café but in any case there are many museums and places to visit in Padua because it is famous for its great artistic heritage and architectural and is also famous for the botanical gardens which are a Unesco world heritage site. a Padua by night that I had only seen on very few occasions, and I must say that it is a city full of life because there were a lot of people even in the evening.

I hope you enjoyed this post of mine and I hope you also enjoyed the photos I took yesterday, I didn't take many but I hope you enjoyed the few I took, see you soon See you next time

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I'm going to Padua to take my niece to an exam

Hi everyone In today's post I want to tell you a little about what I did yesterday, because I also had the opportunity to visit a be...

I'm going to Padua to take my niece to an exam

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