The answer is "no", we didn't take a gondala ride in Venice

Sweet, Sweet Venice. We really weren't sure what to expect. Well, with the exception of a lot water. It was touristy, quaint, and good little place to get lost in. Literally. The people who sell maps there's should just yell out, "SUCKER!!" as you leave. They are of no use. We'd still be there lost if it wasn't for the signs directing us back to the train station, which was close to where we were staying. There are three things signed in that city, San Marco Square, Rialto Bridge and the Train Station. I've never been so thankful for large, ugly yellow signs on old buildings!! The weather was perfect and we were able to walk around all day and just enjoy Venice and the a few of the close by islands. It was a super quick trip for us, but one that was well worth the time. We really enjoyed our time there.

We didn't take a Venetian gondala ride there. Ragan gave me the option if it was really something I wanted to do. But they charge and arm and a leg to go and Ragan would have been asking me every 5 minutes what time it was and if our gondolier was trying to rip us off by dropping us off to early. Apparently they are known to be sneaky to make a few extra coins for the day. We really just fun to watch the tourist go under the bridge on their own ride and make up fake commentary going on between the riders. It was nothing I had ever wanted to do, so no dreams were crushed.



It's so amazing that this city is still above water. Venice is so much larger than I thought it was going to be. I kept thinking to myself, who thought "hey, let's build an entire city in the water on stilts with really heavy building materials!" It seems to be working for them...sort of. I think they are sinking a bit.

Momma Bear needed a nap and some non water inducing motion sickness time, so Ragan went out on his own and took to the canals. This is the Rialto Bridge from the famous Grande Canal. (note: this isn't the water that I'm talking about. But you should see the metro stop docks once there's a lot of action in the canal. Those babies really start rocking!! Ugh, I can't talk about it.)

What does a city on water do with their loved ones once they have passed? Well, they have an island of their own. The water metro stop was easy to pick out, "Cimitero." Huh, where could that possibly be taking us to?

I learned that life in Venice is the same...they just do it by boat. This is Venetian hearse. We noticed they have their funerals on Saturday and that once you pass they hang up laminated signs of you all over the different islands letting everyone know when your funeral is. By the end of the day, there was one elderly man we'd seen so much, I felt like we should have attended his memorial.

The ER entrance. The boat ride would be the easy part of your emergency! I would just want them to find me in that maze of a city.

We headed over to Murano, famous for the glass making, and spent the morning there. This was one of the glass sculptures they have on the island. We had a really great morning over there and were so glad that we added it to the agenda last minute.  I wonder what this thing would do in a hail storm. I think that's the least of a sinking cities worries.

We have now successfully added planes, trains, automobiles...and now boats to our mass transit list we've used on this trip. This is our first boat ride that morning. I love how the lady behind Ragan was thinking something wonderful about tourist. She has a residents boat of her own to ride if she tires of the tourist, so I didn't have much sympathy.

I am not much for changing my clothes once I put something on, but on this particluar morning I made a change into something that just felt right on the second try. After we left the hotel, Ragan informed me, "you look like a gondolier." I think he may be onto something.

Verona is our next stop and our last stop in Italy before moving on to a few other countries before coming back to the States.