Visiting Venice

Enjoyed the first full day in Venice! Drank cappuccino at breakfast. Then we walked over to San Marco Piazza and took in the tourists, pigeons, columns, and music. Meandered through the Correr Museum and enjoyed seeing all the artifacts from Venice's early days.

Then headed over to the Doge's Palace and looked at all 40 rooms on display. Really taken with the grandeur of the Grand Hall (it houses the largest oil painting in the world) and all of the zillions of chambers for their numerous councils. Paintings by Tintoretto, Titian, etc.

After taking a breather, we rode the vaporetto along the Grand Canal to the end of the line. Elegant buildings showing their wear and tear from years of water and flooding. Many seem empty and unused. Can only imagine the cost of maintaining a building here!
Love seeing all the gondolas and black and white striped shirts of the gondoliers. Dinner was outside at a tiny sidewalk restaurant. Menu di giuorno consisted of spaghetti with seafood, grilled salmon, and salade mista. It was delicious!

Evening time came and the vaporetto ride was at nighttime. Not too many buildings were illuminated, but those that were were stunning. Just like in Paris, life continues until late at night, and people stroll the tiny, crowded streets until midnight. Stopped in a souvenir shop to look at outrageously expensive (35 to 1050 euros) masks (just like at Pier 1, M!!), but really amazing. Also, browsed and bought some pretty Italian glass beads, but shhhh, don't tell the girls.