Cynthia and I have fallen in love with Venice.
Once you get past the crush of humanity in the main tourist areas you can find small streets lined with pleasant cafes and restaurants intermingled with shops.
Each turn of a corner reveals a scene more picturesque than the last.
The people here have been very kind and pleasant. You can walk the streets to all hours of the night and be completely safe. We strolled till nearly midnight last night.
The Venetian glass is truly beautiful and the masks are fantastic. As tempting as these items are, we cannot carry any souveniers back with us and the cost of shipping starts at 70 Euros and goes up. We must content ourselves with pictures and memories for the time being.
The one thing that continues to amaze me is that there are no cars, scooters, motorcycles or bicycles here. All the motorized traffice is by boat and the rest of the traffic is by foot.
Tomorrow we take the train to Florence. From all that we have heard this will prove to be equally wonderful.
Venice is wonderful.
If you ever return in the Winter, you can avoid the crowds (and some of the smells – sewage in the canals in August … eep).
You know that plaza that is where you get off the train in Venice? I went there in June 1993 – wall-to-wall people. Feb of 1999? It’s all tiled – quite lovely.
Ah, Venice.
I was waiting to ask about the Bridge of Sighs, but please don’t tell me you guys missed seeing the immortal Bridge of Gasps and Sneezes! And what about the world-famous Canal of Moaning and Whining?
You carry a sheep too, eh? I always carry one -very much like William there but somewhat smaller- in my suit coat pocket during confrontational trials. When the action gets heavy, a simple grip of my sheep gives me the power to respond incisively to anything. For some unknown reason. Wool Power!