Venice was on my list of top ten places to go in the world. Heck it was #1 so it wasnt a stretch for me to "find" the time to get on the train and go! After a overnight train in the same compartment as some friendly Americans we arrived in Venice around noon and then walked across the city (and bridges!) to the hotel. We stopped to sample the local cuisine along the way read: tomato and mozzarella sandwich and fruit ( I knew there was a reason I wanted to go there). Then we headed off to St Marks Square. Over the next two and a half days I saw Venice inside out. The entire city is one big maze, there are dead ends, shortcuts, and black holes. We got lost many a time but always seemed to find some nice Italian person to direct us, usually by sign language, along the way. St Marks square with the bascillica, Dodge's palace, Florians, pidgeons, gelato, and delicious pasta restaurants surrounding it became the mainstay of our visit. The gondola ride was amazing, I was on it with a woman from England and a family from Spain. I felt like at any moment I was going to be dumped in the Grand Canal but as I hung on for dear life I enjoyed every moment, it was seriously a dream come true. If you ever get the chance to go, do it seriously, I would go back for the gelato, fruit, pasta and pizza, but then we all know I love carbs.
