Venice, Italy

Sarah and I took a road trip to Venice last weekend!

We were totally surprised at what a great deal Avis gave us on an automatic with unlimited miles and full coverage insurance! 

We started out early Saturday morning.  These pictures are of Sarah and I so naive - not knowing that our 4-5 hour road trip would take twice as long because it was an Italian holiday weekend  and everyone was hitting the road!  

It wasn't so bad (except for one Italian gas station) - what's so bad about sitting in traffic when you're surrounded by the alps and old castles?

Our GPS system was the best-under-ten dollar euro purchase ever!

We gave our English female narrator a name - Jane.

Also, the small GPS add on bumped us up to a free Mercedes upgrade!

We didn't even have a map with us - we trusted Jane for everything!

The weather was like this in the morning, but a couple of hours later it was clear - like a totally different day!

Our route.

Weather Change

A boat in Venice that I thought Simon would like.

Exploring and Touring Venice on the ferry a.k.a. public transportation system

The weather was perfect!!

Can you imagine living in a city where the main routes were waterways?

Rialto Bridge

For the holiday, everyone was gathering in their boats - lots of music, drinking, and dancing; I assumed it was some sort of independence holiday, but I asked someone and it was actually a religious holiday - third Sunday of July but they start the 'holy' celebration the night before.

Our hotel - thank you Orbitz!

The view from our hotel room - somehow we ended up with the top floor to ourselves!

We thought it was funny that we had 4 twin beds!  And we'd been sharing a futon all week!

After an Italian meal of - you guessed it - pasta, we walked around and went back to our hotel room and then we heard fireworks outside!  The show lasted longer than any fireworks show we'd ever seen and was definitely the best in quality, too!  And we could see it all from our room!

The same view from our room in the morning!

I zoomed in on this patio - there was a bunch of children's toys, etc.  I couldn't imagine day to day life in such a pretty place!

Our window again.

Don't talk to me until after my liter of coffee please.

Ready to interact with humans.

I thought our friends Tony and Teressa would like this little joint called RIZZO.

After breakfast we rested on the beach.

And took some pictures, of course ...

Apparently, after the partying last night a bunch of people just camped out on the beach.  

It was funny to see them waking up and getting dressed!

laundramat pose

I seriously almost fell over.

Waking up for his morning pilates

Fancy car show.

We were so interested we didn't even notice what kind they were ...

hydrate

water commercial

I really enjoyed my time with Sarah.  

In Munich, Salzburg and London she was a great tour guide, 

and in Venice she was a great co-explorer.

I'm getting to know my new camera fairly well; we had a bunch of stuff stolen the week before I left - so I had to get a new camera.

I think Simon and Evie would LOVE this !!

Matt, can we look for one on Craigslist?

Look at the little booster seat in the front!

We are huge dorks - at this moment, while I am blogging we are finishing up the movie, "What a Girl Wants."  I remember Sarah and I had a little argument when the movie came out - we were going to see a movie and she wanted to see "What a Girl Wants" and I didn't.  Oh, I can't even remember what I wanted to see.  We saw the movie and thought it was great then and now.  This is hard to admit.

(Sarah is teary-eyed now as the credits roll AND she just bought her 2nd copy of the film.  And I use that term loosely.)

That's me with our luggage in front of our home away from home.

Sarah walking in a small alley behind a really slow gentleman.

Yes, I bring a portable chair a.k.a. rolling luggage.

I've always wanted to go to Europe!

I'm glad I could see experience 4 countries!

I must say I am ready for home, though!

And next time better be with Matt!

Matt, Scott, Sarah - I have one question - one.

Is the pearl in the ear or is the ear in the pearl?

I have a picture of Matt leaning against an alley wall in Rome - I tried to recreate it.

I couldn't find an alley with laundry drying, though!

cappucino

freshest pizza ever

We were so European we didn't even shower that morning.

Too much information, I know.

But why waste precious Venice time in the bathroom?

Even if we did have the whole floor ...

Tiramisu and Cappucino - check.

We had a list.

Sarah and I have always had lists when we'd get together over the summers.

And they were usually food-oriented.

I look like a statue.

Warning:  my next post will have pictures from Salzburg, Austria.