Venezia

As you know, our plans got shuffled the day we left for Venice. Aside from the ridiculous snoring in the couchette, everything worked out and we arrived in Venice yesterday morning. We found our hotel, showered the train off of us, and then headed to the bus. We were staying in Venice Mestre, on the mainland. We had to cross the causeway to the 100 island complex we know as Venice.

We fed our bellies near the train station and boarded the #82 vaporetto (public water taxi) for Piazza San Marco. We had booked a tour of the Grand Canal and had a few hours to fill beforehand. On the vaporeto, I had to keep reminding myself, you are in Venice, you are not in Epcot. I kept expecting to round a bend and end up in Russia. The Grand Canal was filled with boats. It was incredible--gondollas, wooden taxis, vaporetti. We crossed beneath the major bridges: Rialto, stone with its markets and prestige; Accademia, netted to keep the falling wood from hitting boaters. We saw the beautiful palaces of old Venice, when it was the middleman city for all trade. Finally we jumped out at the St. Marks Square stop.

I found the Grand Canal tour in Rick Steve's book. (Shocker. Our whole trip can be found in Rick Steves' books.) We had given them our credit card information to charge over the phone, and had only "Meet us in front of the Royal Gardens at 5:30 p.m." in exchange. We located the Royal Gardens for later. My dad was feeling nervous, but let it go.

Heading into St. Mark's Square, we were immediately struck by the crowds, the architecture, and the pigeons. There are thousands, and rumor has it the bird seed they sell in the courtyard is laced with birth control.

At the southwest corner of the square you see first the Doge's Palace (Palazzo Ducale, on right above). Looking into the Piazza beyond, you see St. Mark's Basilica (to the left). That's where we started. The Basilica houses the remains of Venice's patron saint. St. Mark's bones were smuggled into the city in AD 828, according to Rick Steves. The Basilica has a Byzantine influence and is covered by mosaics within. Pebble-sized stones create masterpieces on all the walls and ceilings, telling stories of Adam and Eve, Noah, the Ascension. Even the floors are mosaic designs. Thankfully, we were all dressed modestly. Otherwise we'd have been caught by the fashion police at the door and forced to wear large paper towels over our knees and shoulders.

Mosaic over the entrance, no pictures allowed inside

We headed to the Doge's Palace afterwords, and got a look at lots of art, cool armory, and the prison. One highlight: crossing the Bridge of Sighs. Out of the courtroom, reenacting the walk of a convicted criminal (or enemy), we headed through the covered stone bridge, took one last look at Venice, sighed, and walked into the prison for torturing.

Sighing on the Bridge of Sighs

Our canal tour was not a rip-off. The guides met us and about 30 other English-speaking tourists at the Gardens and put us into boats of eight. We heard stories about famous families, the Venetian plague, and throwing golden plates out of windows after dinner at the Ca'd'Oro.

Rialto Bridge

We walked through tiny back streets in the labyrinth of Castello, the district near St. Marks. We ate dinner canalside and then walked back to St. Mark's Square for the nightlife we'd heard so much about.

With the gondoliers

It was magical. Cafes lighting up in the square, people dancing (ok, Amy and Mike dancing). They have nightly orchestra groups dueling in neighboring cafes. We started at the Caffe Quadri. The water was coming up through the floor of the Square; I guess the tide was in. The smart waiters in their tuxes and white ties wore rubber boots. The orchestra was playing "My Heart Will Go On," which felt very fitting as we felt the city sinking. We later moved over to the more famous and pricier Caffe Florian, where they had classical music. In the glowing streetlight, I kept imagining Casanova sneaking in for a secret rendezvous.

The orchestra played its last song and we were sad that the night ended. Venice has been our favorite city so far, my favorite in Europe.