Venice

We loved Venice. It was probably our favorite place out of everywhere we went. There were tiny ally ways and bridges everywhere. We had a bit of a rough start when we first got there (we couldn't remember what hotel we booked), but loved our time there.

We were also there during high tide, so every morning, most of Venice flooded. We asked some people who live there and apparently this only happens a few days each year. I guess we were just lucky. San Marco square set up walk ways so people could get around.

The platform we chose to walk on led us right into St. Mark's Basilica, which was built in 828 A.D.

The Basilica flooded as well.


It had beautiful, detailed tiled floors.





Everywhere you go, there are masks for sale. Some were really pretty.




Gondolas going under the Bridge of Sighs.
The Bridge of Sighs. We were annoyed that they were doing construction and most of the bridge was covered up.
Along the waterfront.
We toured the Doge's Palace, which was the former Doge's residence, the main government building, and the palace of justice.
This is the courtyard. Most of it is marble.

The ceiling of the Golden Staircase, which leads to the Doge's apartment.
We weren't supposed to take pictures inside, but we snuck a couple. ;)

One of the cells of the prison there.
Walking across the Bridge of Sighs, which connects the Doge's Palace to the prison. The bridge provided those who were convicted their last view of Venice before being imprisoned.
Looking out from the Bridge of Sighs.
The Scala dei Giganti, which leads directly to the Doge's Apartment. Those are statues of Neptune and Mars at the top.
There was a room that held old columns.
I loved the details of the courtyards.


One thing that Venice is famous for is their glass. There were so many glass shops that were selling beautiful pieces of glass.
The Rialto Bridge.
Walking across the Rialto Bridge.
Every store was obsessed in making sure that we knew their stuff was made in Italy and no China. That was usually the first thing they said to us.
You can only walk along the Grand Canal for a small part. We had lunch at a place right next to the water.
We loved the little alley ways. It was fun just to walk around and see where we ended up.
Looking down the Grand Canal.

Every open space there had some sort of market.



We loved walking around and finding random bridges crossing the canals.



St. Mark's Square at night.
St. Mark's Basilica


Doge's Palace.



Rialto Bridge at night.
The Grand Canal.
The next day, our hotel arranged a tour of Morano Island, which is where most of the glass is made. We really just took a boat to the island and toured a shop, but it was still really fun.

It was really interesting to watch them make glass. It's a really quick process. We watched him make a horse and a vase in under ten minutes.



The powdery stuff is what they melt to make the glass.
It was funny after the tour because you are then taken into the shop and the sales people pounce on you. We had a guy following us around, acting like our best friend, but as soon as he figured out we weren't going to buy anything, he ditched us and went to bother someone else.

The view from our hotel room. We could almost see the tower. It was just a little to the right.
We found it hilarious how they do the keys here. It's like this in most of the hotels we stayed in. Your key in on a huge tassel that you leave with the front desk as you go out for the day and pick it up when you come back. The front desk guy said it was so they knew who was still out at night.


The Chiesea della Salute. We were there during the Feast of Good Health, which people pray to the Madonna for good health.


Inside the Chiesa della Salute.

We toured the Gallerie dell Accademia, which is a famous art gallery. I really wanted to see Da Vinchi's Virtuvian Man, but since it's a drawing and very fragile, it's only on display a few times a year. I was really disappointed.


Our last day, there were a couple of things we wanted to do, but had trouble getting around because of the flooding.
You can see how high the water was. The steps are completely covered.



St. Mark's Basilica.
Campanile di San Marco.

The view of Isola di San Giorgio Maggiore.
On our way to the airport, we took the boat bus up the Grand Canal. I loved how the houses along the Canal all had docks right on the river.
The Rialto Bridge.



We had some trouble getting home, including getting on the wrong bus and ending up in the middle of the city Trevsio and losing our boarding passes in the taxt to the airport.

We loved Venice. Venice was so beautiful and fun. We could have spent forever wandering around the little alleyways, looking at the shops and eating the delicous food.