Venezia

Our last stop! Because of some train issues, we didn't end up getting to Venice until 5 p.m. That's like 8 hours of travel...8 hours...but in the end it has been worth it. Venice looks and feels like the pictures you have seen. A city of small streets (alleys really), dead ends, canals and many pizzarias. Don't get your hopes up of a picture of Blake and Kristen riding a gondola down a Venice canal, gondola rides go for 80-120 euro for 30-60 minutes depending on the time of day and weather. For you true Americans that's 100-150 dollars. OUCH! We did however spend 12 euros on two enormous slices of pizza and a bottle of cheap red wine, took our impromptu picnic to the Rialto Bridge, sat down and had a picnic last night. No real drinking laws in Italy allow for drinking in public places. It was fun. I bet we looked interesting to those passing by.

Also during the day we made time to visit St. Mark's Square and fed the pigeons. The pigeons come from far and wide to eat feed that is sold in packs for a euro. The pigeons are fearless and will hop on your arm, your hand, your shoulder and even your head to get the feed from you. It's tons of fun and something most every tourist did. The Italians stayed away for fear of the bird flu!

After our picnic on the bridge, where we met a fellow Aggie, we went back to St. Mark's Square to listen to three dueling 5-piece orchestras. The crowds formed and really got into the music clapping and stomping with the music. We watched some older ladies dancing around doing high kicks. Bizarre, but a great time.

Florence had its gelaterias and leather while Venice has its pizzarias and it's glass shops. This morning we did a little shopping and actually went into St. Marks Cathedral. By this point we're almost a little churched-out but it wins my vote for prettiest cathedral. The inside is almost entirely gold mosaic. We also visited the Doge's Palace. It was AWESOME. I decided that I too would like a palace with carved gilded ceilings in every room. I told Blake to get working on that. We also saw the biggest oil paintng in the world... Paradiso.

Venice is beautiful and we wish we had more time, and weren't so worn, to see it correctly. We did see Hugh Grant though, for whatever that's worth!

We're headed back to Rome tonight for the end of our journey. Mom, I sent you an email but we'll just call you when we land. We don't exactly trust Continental to be on time!

CIAO from Venezia!