Venice

I did not know when we booked this trip that we barely missed the Venice Film Festival. This is St. Mark's Square with remnants of a stage and seating where I assume part of the festivities were held. It's strange to think that just a week prior to our arrival, all the pretty Hollywood types were wining and dining here.
Me forcing a smile after fighting the crowds in St. Mark's Square. We should have waited a few more weeks for the peak season to die down. We quickly lost all desire to politely wait 5 seconds for Joe Tourist to frame his stupid picture before walking right in front of his camera. Seriously....they were everywhere.
This was probably our favorite part. Venice is better at night, I think. It calmed down and was quiet and pretty and romantic. We stopped in St. Mark's Square to listen to this little orchestra play a Sound of Music medley. We were hooked by the time they got through a whole song. Many people had warned us of the price of a coffee if you stop at a cafe on the square. I think that's why they have the orchestra lure you in - resistance is futile. We had dessert and coffee and listened to music until they finally stopped playing after midnight. We could have stayed all night.

Some of the sights from the water taxi...

The one thing in Venice that looked totally out of place...this skull sculpture was made entirely of metal cans and buckets and other miscellaneous scrap metal....random...
The gondolas never stopped being picture worthy....every gondola sighting was a photo op...


Pigeons everywhere...I have to believe that people are not particularly fond of pigeons in their day-to-day lives. Go to Venice however, and pigeons are apparently beautiful and sweet and not at all disgusting. People were throwing feed to attract a sea of pigeons and then letting them perch on their heads, hands, shoulders.....just wherever they happened to land. We were literally scooting through, having to kick dirty birds out of the way with every step. Yuck...



We did a gondola ride after dinner on Saturday. The guidebooks say it's a bit of a rip off but I beg to differ. It is one of the most expensive 30 minutes of entertainment we've ever had but SO worth it. It's the only way to really see and enjoy the back "streets" (canals) , the hidden bits that you can't see walking. And it honestly doesn't get much more romantic than an Italian guy in the obligatory black & white striped shirt quietly telling you the little bits of history and reminding you that a kiss as you float under every bridge is good luck. :)


The little street where our hotel was located....

All in all it was a wonderful way to celebrate our first year of marriage, even if we were a couple weeks early. Tomorrow is the official day. My, how life has changed in one short year!