Final Venezia

 We really enjoyed Venice, but I wouldn't want to live there. These gondolas are too close to the water. Alex was in the bow of the gondola...

 Some of the gondola were very impressive with their decorations. And the thing that the oar sits on had individual decorations, too.

Here you can see the step that got me...I didn't swing my legs up high enough and my two big toes collided with the block of concrete. Ouch.

 This is the church named after Moses. I was amazed by how ornate some of the churches were, both inside and out.

My first Italian scarf. I found one like this in Paris years ago and enjoyed finding them again.

Just one of the many fashions I did NOT purchase. But really, doesn't everyone need a furry dress?!

Another church on the Grand Canal. You can see how close to the water you are when in the gondola. I might have enjoyed this more if I hadn't been envisioning falling in. But thank God, I didn't!

More Venizia!

On this trip, I tried to take fewer pix. Taking photos does remove you from the scene, sort of...you get involved in the shot and miss what is going on around you, sometimes.  So instead of 300 to 500 shots each day, I averaged probably 150. Some habits are hard to break.

 Alex goofing near statuary that has been stolen a few times...

 Armored Alex!

 Churches abounded on our trip.

 Alex listening to tour narration by a local guide.

 Pasta Carbonara!

 So much lovely glass. I was saved from buying it by remembering how breakable it is.

 Everyone has a boat, not a car. No cars in Venice. It is quieter by far.

 Campari Spritz at the hotel.

 There were so many shots just begging to be taken.

 Cruise ship visiting Venice in the Grand Canal. They can't get closer, due to low water levels.

 Domo has a beer.

 We did visit the Outside of the Rock Shop. But didn't go in.

 Horses get armor too.

 Karen in the Columbia shirt. Love those pockets! and of course, a foulard! (scarf)

 Very good cellist outside the church.

 More armor.

 My lunch: lasagne with no tomato sauce! and it was GOOD.

 Below, our Venice hotel from the front door. Nice hotel. Small elevator. :)

The leaning tower. We discovered that many cities in Italy have leaners...not just Pisa. 

Venice visit May 2018

We started our Rick Steves' Italy trip in Venezia. Lovely city. 

 This young lady was advertising Venetian entertainment...musical, I assume.

 Domo broke out of his suitcase to welcome us to the Venetian ship museum. 

 They had pretty ornate ships.

 And lovely churches.

Alex had a Bellini. I had a Campari spritz, which has Campari, prosecco (the Italian version of Champagne) and sometimes soda, with a slice of orange. Alex found it bitter. I found it heavenly, especially in the heat.

 The Cat who Laughs bistro. We didn't go, but found it amusing.

 Churches.

 Same church, but with a seagull. I hadn't realized that I missed seagulls. Those, and hummingbirds, don't exist in Hawaii. They can't fly long enough to make that long journey.

 Domo enjoys pizza with egg.

 And the Grand Canal.

 Domo found the Campari spritz bitter too. 

 More boats.

 Alex, my faithful naviguesser, poring over a map. I really would have been lost had he not been there to figure out where we were!

 Musicians on the square, setting up for the lunchtime crowds. And boy, were there crowds.

 We visited Burano (with lace shops), not Murano, with glass. But we did see many examples of the wonderful glass in the shops in Venice.

Hard Rock from a distance. We didn't go in. It seemed very odd to see a restaurant over a canal.

 I was fascinated with some of the light fixtures, especially these with the lace covers.

And the glass ones.

 This was a hyperbaric chamber, for when you have trouble with the bends in diving.

 Very important signage. I stayed away from Diet Coke on this trip, so didn't have any bathroom emergencies.

I first started being interested in chimneys in France, so I noted these in Venice, too. Odd shapes.

 I love the Kleenex in Europe...these were marine-oriented. And no, they didn't show octopuses. 

 A little wall hanging plaque I found of the last supper.

 The Venetian type of love locks. We first saw this phenomenon in Paris, where you lock a padlock to a bridge and throw away the key. This is supposedly a way to keep your love alive. Unfortunately, at least in Paris, it made the bridges so heavy that they had to cut the locks off the bridges, so they wouldn't fall in the Seine! 

 Before we left for Italy, Alex had discovered that there were many narrow alleyways in Venice. Here's one.

We were told that some buildings in Venice, since the city is sinking, couldn't use their first floors anymore. Sad. The whole city looks rather in decay. But lovely nonetheless.

 Masks are very big here.

 Also started in Paris, I looked for pretty doors in Venice too.

 Murano glass octopus.

 Octopus picture on the menu. Alex was faithful in telling me places to avoid the real thing.

 Octopus marzipan. And Marzipan fish. Some folks are so creative!

 Naval Museum.

 I laughed at this sign. 

Can you believe these pizzas were for one person? Luckily, we got salad too.

 Some of the European showers were really small. But we got clean clothes drying there, too.

 The Grand Canal.

 View from our hotel, Hotel de Fenice.

 More canals.

 There were several fountains where one could fill water bottles. The water is very good.

Gondola. It is a pretty amazing series of boats. I wouldn't have the balance to steer one! And I stubbed my toes getting off the gondola we were on: There was a big brick block and I didn't raise my legs enough. Ouch! We walked our tushes off on this trip, but learned a lot and enjoyed our visit.