Venice - 2011

We have been a little slow about starting to post about our latest trip, mainly because we are just a little slow. So what do you expect from elderly travelers?? We started with two nights in Venice, the magical city that makes irrelevant the everyday cycle of life that we know so well. We cannot drive to the hotel, nor even ride a bike. We walk. We pull or carry our luggage over too many bridges to reach our hotel. No supermarket. No neon signs. We live in a labyrinth of small streets, bridges, alleys, many stopping at the water's edge. Our hotel was the yellow building on the right, looking out over the water.

The Grand Canal,looking toward Santa Maria della Salute, the bassiica in the distance.

San Giorgio Maggiore, with a bell tower we ascended for a fine view of Venice. The sign outside the elevator specifies a limit of six people. The sign inside says eight. Which sign is newer? Does it matter whether the people are large or small?

From the tower above, we saw this view of Saint Mark's Square and the Dogges' Palace.

The Rialto bridge as seen from the vaporetto as we rode on the Grand Canal.

We visited the Rialto markets. Among the many, many offerings was this head of a dog shark.

The markets offer any kind of fruits and vegetables that you can imagine.

Here, a waterway. Narrow, long, deep.

Off to Padua. Leaving Venice just in time to miss the Pope's visit.