Marissa & Isaac's Adventures

Venice - Little Island, Big Sunsets

The start of our Venice leg started with the most insane run to the train station. We had to cover 2 miles in 20 minutes... with all of our luggage, a train crossing, and cobblestones streets. Needless to say, we provided the Italians some solid entertainment. With my lucky girl syndrome, the train was two minutes late, and we stepped on with a sense of pride and accomplishment! Oh, and maybe a missing wheel and some serious armpit stains.
We made it! And Venice, wow. It is simply like no other place we have been. There are no cars or bikes, so the whole city is for people on foot. You can simply walk through the streets and over bridges until you reach the end of the city. We were lucky that we went in the off-season because Venice gets extremely overcrowded, which means a traffic jam of people anywhere you go. We only saw big crowds on the streets near the main plaza, but otherwise, it was enjoyable. Here is one of the many pictures of posing by the canals.
The famous gondolas! And despite people telling us this was a must-do, we couldn't justify the cost after we've already done some incredible canal tours in Cambridge and Amsterdam for a fraction of the price. Instead, we were content to enjoy the canals from the bridges.
St. Marks Basilica in the square! Some parts of the church were under restoration, but the arches at the top were in full view and reflected the afternoon sun. The square was bustling with activity, and many street vendors were trying to attract clueless tourists. Although we were tempted to buy a cliché sweatshirt, we resisted and instead found a spot to enjoy some Aperol spritz while watching the sunset.
The beautiful sunset and the view of Giudecca, the island in the Venetian Lagoon. Shortly after this was taken, we joined the people behind me and enjoyed the sunset with an Aperol Spritz in hand - oh the good life!
More canal views in the quiet, residential neighborhood.
The clotheslines were ubiquitous in Venice. I would be concerned if my line was hanging over the water, especially after Isaac dropped my shorts while unclipping them earlier during our trip.
Captured the FAMOUS Bridge of Sighs spanning another lovely canal. Later on, we got the chance to walk through this bridge on a tour of the Doge's Palace, linking to a ghastly dungeon on the far side.
Venice had some extremely busy, tourist-packed squares. Luckily, we were able to find some peace in the sun one morning to enjoy an espesso. Was the coffee as good in Venice as Seattle? My obviously unbiased opinion would be no, but they get points for much deeper roots.
Obviously, I had to try the Aperol Spritz at this adorable corner pub. It wasn't our first and it certainly wouldn't be our last on this little island. Why isn't this incredible drink more popular in the States??
At times it felt surreal walking to the end of a block and facing ocean in every direction. The buildings seem to be almost floating, sprouting directly out of the water. Another amazing sunset in Venice.
Though we did not take the ferry across to neighboring islands, we did enjoy the view across the water.
Venice seems entirely covered in stone, holding its own beauty, ingenuity, and craftmanship, but not lending itself to much greenery. Passing the occational tree, garden, or flower shop was always a treat.
The Libreria Acqua Alta bookstore was a must-see for such a voracious reader as Marissa. It was filled with local cats, a famous tower of books out back to pose on, and a gondola full of books right down the middle.
Here we see Marissa entering her "abstract" era. What deep meaning did she glean from these seemingly-benign scribbles? You wouldn't get it.
The canal-side of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection offered a lovely view of Venice' Grand Canal.
Isaac's feeble mind struggles to comprehend this figure-on-four-legged-creature. Another stunner from the Peggy Guggenheim Collection.
Yes, yes Venice has canals. You might be wondering "did Isaac bring more than one pair of clothes on this trip?" to which he would answer "I plead the 5th".
During a sunset there truly was an incredible view half a block away at all times.
The Doge's Palace had some incredible architecture. At first, I thought "why did they build an entire palace for a dog?" Only after reading dozens of museum placards did I realize it was for the historic ruler of Venice. After a full day of learning and walking, we rested to enjoy a well-earned espresso.
When in Italy, we HAD to get some famous tiramisu. It absolutely did not disappoint. We also learned there are many different flavors of tiramisu, not just the classic coffee.