Yes, we did that...and kicked ourselves immediately. Easy enough, we hailed a taxi and took a quick ride to the SL train station where our previously booked water taxi awaited us. Phew...a little stress...but soon after we relaxed, because, Venice.
Sandro giving us a quick tour of the grand canal. One of these buildings is where "The Italian Job" was filmed (the opening scene)...it's now a hotel, and you can see where the safe fell through and where the boat was docked. So Hollywood.
We had beautiful weather today. Perfect for cruising.
Boats, water taxis, and gondolas are everywhere. It's fantastico!
Santa Maria della Salute coming up. An amazing basilica built as a tribute to the end of the black plague.
It dwarfs the narrow peninsula on which it sits...between the Grand Canal and the Giudecca Canal.
Lots of decoration - very Baroque.
The Grand Canal opens up onto the lagoon. Now coming up on Saint Mark's Square...basically the welcome mat for Venice. The large bell tower stands between the cathedral and the Doge's Palace. There are also museums, city buildings, fountains, and pigeons...hundreds of pigeons.
Welcome!
On the piazza looking back toward the lagoon.
St. Mark's
The symbol of Venice (and Saint Mark) is the winged lion. It's everywhere...see it in the upper middle of this clock tower?
The Bridge of Sighs. Situated between the city court and the prison, it's so named because as prisoners were taken to their cells, their last view of lovely Venice left them sighing.
So we sighed and sat on the piazza and enjoyed an afternoon snack and some pinot grigio.
Salute!
So, our hotel is right on the lagoon, and apparently fit for Napoleon.
I wonder where the peasants will be sleeping tonight?
View from our window.
Bam! Fendi has some of my money.
The sun sets on our first day. This is our view of Santa Maria.
And across the lagoon.
I'll just leave you with these...
You're welcome. Buona notte.
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