June 23

Today was special day. We planned to spend the day in Venice. We woke up at 2:30 a.m. and caught a taxi to the Edolo, a neighboring town to Ponte Di Legno. From there we then caught a bus to Brescia. From Brescia we then took a train to Venice. We finally arrived in Venice at about 9:00 a.m. Despite the long journey, it was well worth it. We were able to walk through Venice at our leisure and saw the famous waterways and canals that divide the city. It was amazing to see the gondolas and boats traverse the watery streets. The city in its heyday was a major trading post and was inhabited mainly by merchants who loved to show off their wealth. The building were rustic looking, with various shades of red, yellow, and beige. As you walk through the city you encounter numerous bridges, but the largest one traverses the “Grand Canal”. The view from the Grand Canal is just amazing and allows you to see the water line the buildings. We were also able to visit a theater/opera house where Antonio Vivaldi himself walked through and performed his masterpieces (for example the Four Seasons). For lunch we stopped and ate some pizza at a local pizzeria. We sampled some of the local favorites such a Gargonzola and Cotto ham pizza as well as a Proscuitto, artichoke, and muchroom pizza. The pizza was OK but I wasn’t exactly blown away. I actually think Papa Johns make a pretty damn good pizza after eating Italian pizza. The rest of the day was quite nice as we spent it just walking the streets and admiring the buildings and the canals. We also visited many of the local souvenir shops. We decided to leave around 4 p.m. and headed back home to Ponte Di Legno. Tomorrow is going to be a big day since we leave for Barcelona, Spain. Here a few more pictures of Venice to wet your appetite.