Ariston Campodarsego

... control measure (hint: it’s not working!) If you even accidentally drive into the area, much less park there, they will photo your car and send you a hefty bill! Did we mention that drivers here seem to all have the same death wish?

Our first stop was the Bargello Museum, which is home to works by Donatello and Michelangelo, among others. Then off to the Galleria Academia .Yes, we went to an Accademia in Venice, too. It does get confusing! The ...

... of you who are not Reddingites, Calatrava designed the world famous Sundial Bridge in Redding, CA. Michele had read about the Venice bridge and found that it was just as plagued by delays and cost over-runs as the Redding project. Michele describes herself as the only resident of Redding who hates the bridge, more for its cost than its beauty.
You will see some pictures on the blog, but two ...

... they no longer swarm the tourists. But it you still have to watch out for the Pigeon Poop! The Basillica was another feast for the eyes - and ears! As we approached the central altar, imagine our surprise as the “theme” from Phantom of the Opera suddenly blasted from the organ!
Next, we toured the Peggy Guggenheim Museum. This wealthy American woman, who lived in an palatial home on the Grand Canal, had two great loves: her dogs and modern art. After her death, her ...

... 8217;clock,” then added, “but maybe seven thirty, or maybe seven, depending on the people.” We weren’t at all sure what to expect at six thirty, but he was there.
Oh, did we mention that it rained most of the day? We were prepared and only came home with wet shoes. Since most of Venice was under over 3 feet water just a week ago, we considered ourselves very lucky.

Tomorrow, San Marco and (hopefully) dry weather.

... find. Then it started raining, I mean it IS Venice, so what more could you expect? But it wasn’t bad, so (after I bought an umbrella) we kept walking.

The next day was spent the same way, though without Steve. We had a lot of fun and enjoyed tracking down gondolas. We found a great little place that sold yummy ham and cheese Paninis, and had a surprisingly wonderful few days. Next stop: Rome.

... artist. When he was a child, there were no mask shops in the entire city. There was no Carnival. During the terrorism and political upheavals in Italy in the 1970s, the wearing of masks was discouraged. Masks disappeared, along with Carnival, when Napoleon's troops brought an end to the Venetian Republic in 1797. Since then, they've resurfaced and submerged again throughout the decades ...

Hey all, left the Ferrari factry and free camped next to a campsite on the mainland across from Venice. The next morning we drove into the campsite, made good use of the showers (ahhh, hot water!) and caught a boat over to Venice to check out the fabled city, home of Casanova and the Carnivale of Venice. Wow, what a beautiful city. Canals everywhere, the famous gondolas (up to 70 euro a pop though so gave that a miss), beautiful old buildings ...

... the Venetian Islands. The tourists groups devour its streets, and the travelers and locals find some peace and naptime on the sun filled docks opposite of Academia. Twisting and turning your way down old stone streets smashed between vibrant stucco apartments wearing thin around the edges; The brave steal away down the dark nameless alleys to discover the hidden piazzas or a quiet bridge; perfect spots for delicious gellati. I recommend ...

... walk along the quiet backstreets of the villages, hand in hand, sharing a gelato and the moment. Cinqueterre was the setting for the first drama of the trip when I accidentally confronted a sea urchin and lost.. painfully! My hand is still recovering from the 30 or so needle punctures and splinters... There was the gentle mysticism of Assisi, set upon the hilltop, with its quiet timeless cobblestone streets and stairways. I recall one early morning, walking ...

... at the time it was built and still a veritable city of over 2,500 people. We had actually cruised onboard the Grand Princess once before and were already familiar with its variety of entertainment and dining options (as with most cruise ships, it served unlimited quantities of food 24 hours a day), so after a quick walk around the ship we boarded a water taxi for Venice proper. We visited the usual ...