Venice

Yesterday, the road led to Venice, although no actual roads were used. The train from Florence led all the way onto the island that is Venice, dropping me into the tourist crunch at Santa Lucia stazione. I took a crowded water bus to the stop closest to my hotel and wandered five minutes inland through small alleys, quaint shops, and delicious smells to a tiny piazza that serves an old church and my hotel door. The piazza is quiet, and my room overlooks it from the first floor (or second in American translation). Both the Wonderful Hotel View Fairy and the Fabulous Weather Fairy have been my welcome companions this trip!

While wandering on Murano yesterday, I bumped into Larry and Emily, extended "family" of the Jones clan, who were also here for the wedding. I joined them for an afternoon of exploring and shopping. As we followed one of the walking tours in the Rick Steve's Venice guide, we crossed several bridges that spanned lanes that are heavily plied by the gondoliers. We noted that, at times, it looked a bit like a log jammed boat ride in an amusement park. We forwent the expense of a gondola ride ourselves (well over $100) and instead spent the evening eating one of the best meals of the trip (and certainly the best dessert I've had outside of gelato at Grom in Florence).

Today, they start their journey home, and I head off to gorge on the art of the Venice Biennale.