Monday, June 3, 2013

Venice, Italy


Day 1

Seattle-Chicago-Ireland-Venice, we finally arrive in Venice, exhausted from 30+ hours of travel. Just like many of our other adventures, we persevere and decide to explore this amazing city.

First-thing’s-first, pasta and WINE. We find a little Ristorante close to our hotel, order our Bolognese and dive in. It’s just as we remember, this is what made us fall in love with this country in the first place. After lunch - or is it dinner? It may technically be breakfast, we wander a bit, introducing ourselves to the city. This place that we’ve read about in books and fairytales, is truly enchanting.

While retiring to our room for some much needed sleep would be the logical thing to do, we are lucky enough for the opportunity to catch up with some old friends – Stephanie and Gabe. Stephanie and Gabe live in Germany and just happen to be vacationing in Venice. Meeting their kids and catching up with old friends 5,000 miles from home, is a treat.

After our quick visit, we hit a wall; it’s time for bed. Jet lag wins, asleep before our heads hit the pillow at 6:00pm.

Day 2

The plan is to sleep in and catch up; however, our bodies have a very different agenda. Tossing and turning from 1:00am on and wide awake at 4:30 am, we decide to beat the crowds and head to Saint Mark’s square – the city’s main tourist attraction. We’ve been told it’s worth the early rise to see it before the masses of tourists flood the famous square. Our intent is to catch the sunrise – something neither of us has purposefully witnessed since our engagement - but unfortunately, a heavy fog blankets the entire city.

Because we slept through dinner the night before, an overwhelming hunger develops as we walk. Little do we know, it will be several hours before even the earliest café will open. After an hour of relatively painful walking, we turn down one of the city’s million corners and run into a Godsend – an open café buzzing with early, local risers. After devouring a prosciutto and formaggio stuffed baguette, accompanied by a beautiful cappuccino, we begin to feel alive again.

Finally the city begins to awake. While the fog prevents us from capturing Saint Mark’s square before it’s overrun with tourists, wandering the deserted streets of a typically overrun city, is indescribable.

The forecast tells us this is to be the only day in Venice without rain. Of course, we want to take advantage of this but unfortunately, exhaustion wins and we have no choice but to sleep.  After our siesta, we spend the rest of the day exploring, vegging and enjoying the fruit of this beautiful land – wine.

Day 3

With the surprise of beautiful, sunny weather, the next day is epic. With nothing more on our itinerary than getting to know the secrets of the city, we walk, and walk, and walk.

We visit Saint Mark’s square numerous times; cross a plethora of bridges; take some 200+ photos; window shop; eat pizza and pasta; drink lovely Pinot Griogio from the Soave region and Chianti from Tuscany; chat with a couple from northern California; lose a sweater and sunglasses (Sara!); get chauffeured through the canals by our gondolier who we appropriately call Casanova; and, fall head-over-heels in love with Venice.





























































































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