Gondolas Galore

Hi Everyone,

  I started off the month of March with a trip to Venice, Italy for a conference. Much like when I visited 7 years ago, I had one day to spend touring the city, but this time no Austrian tour guide…just me, my map, and a list of must-try eateries.

 My first stop was  a local coffee shop, first opened in the 1930s. I've been drinking espressos for awhile now and I was intrigued to see if the rumours were true…if Italian coffee was as strong as they say and if it was served at the perfect temperature in a pre-heated cup. After slinging back my coffee at the bar I realized I'm long gone from the days of big mugs of Dunkin Donuts coffee and flavored Coffee-mate creamers. Although I will say that "going out for coffee" doesn't have quite the same satisfaction when you're finished in under a minute.

Quick espresso at Torrefazione Cannaregio.

Following my caffeine boost I slowly wandered along the canals to get into the heart of the city. I quickly discovered that the thoughtful Venetians marked directions to the main landmarks with arrows on the side of the buildings to help the tourists find their way through the maze-like canals…either that or they were just tired of giving directions all the time. 

The back alleys of Venice.

Even though Venice in March was not warm by any means, I was happy that with the sun eating gelato could be justifiable. I made my way to Suso Gelatoteca for an "Italian-style" ice cream sandwich: a slice of pannetone stuffed with 2 scoops of salted-pistachio ice cream. Delizioso!

Before lunch snack: My version of "pre-gaming".

After I finally stopped thinking about food for awhile I visited the main landmarks, including St. Mark's Square and St. Mark's Basilica. Just as I remembered, the square was full of pigeons and vendors trying to sell cheap knock-off items to tourists. However, this time I was surprised to find that the vendors were actually selling something useful…selfie sticks!

St. Mark's Basilica

St. Mark's Square

View from the terrace of St. Mark's Basilica

To get a better view of Venice itself, I took a water bus to the neighboring island of San Giorgio Maggiore. 

Ride on the water bus (AKA vaporetto).

Then I took the elevator up to the church's bell tower to get a look over the city. What beautiful, clear skies!

Back to Venice, I found my way to the Grand Canal (appropriately named) and the Rialto bridge, which has shops lining both sides.

Gondolier touring the Grand Canal.

Gondola parking near the Rialto bridge. 

Finally the sun started to set and I followed the rest of the masses back to the water to watch the sunset.

Sunset in Venice: Gondolas and San Giorgio Maggiore. 

One last look at St. Mark's Square to close out the day.

Although I love the Venetian hotel in Las Vegas, it is a far cry from the real deal. Pictures don't do it justice. Let's hope that the rising waters will stay at bay and that engineers can help preserve it for future generations.
http://edition.cnn.com/2015/03/30/travel/the-wonder-list-venice-bill-weir/

Ciao,
Danielle