Oh, Venice. It’s true what they say: the architecture, the structural components and artistic, ancient beauty of this city was astounding. I was enchanted by the rustic, rust-colored buildings with large wooden shutters and copious hanging flowers dripping down intricate black iron railings, by the weave of waterways throughout the city, connecting each island to the next…

And though water is a predominant characteristic, exploring Venice by foot was an unexpected pleasure. We traipsed through the popular centers during the day, and then walked through the hidden corners and alleyways at dusk, discovering little local cafes and watching the city slowly start to go to sleep.

One of the visit’s main highlights was our time spent at the famed Piazza San Marco (home to the simply awesome Basilica di San Marco), where we fed a mass of eager pigeons. Shortly thereafter, I met Franco, a charming and very interesting gondoleer who broke all rules of the serious gondola business (it’s apparently quite a money maker) and offered a ride in exchange for a glass of wine. This, quite surprisingly, ended up being one of the best parts of the day.

Now, clearly there are more things (and more sophisticated, cultural things) to say about Venice, but the above about sums it up for my limited experience there. Which, naturally, means more room for pictures. *smile*

With Julie at Rialto Bridge

Basilica di San Marco

Birds in San Marco Square

Venice is Fun

Gondola Lesson