Venizia!

As you can imagine, the first impression of Venice was stunning, even at night.


We found an excellent three-star hotel and for 150 euros receieved the penthouse suite, complete with all sorts of funny Italian decorations.


Venice also had fantastic architecture and it was even more tucked away than in Prague. We found streets that were so tight, 35% of Americans wouldn't have been able to squeeze through. I'm serious. There were three-foot high archways, two parallel streets with the same name and all sorts of other little tricks that street criminals must love.


We arrived in Venice around 10pm Tuesday and the city was essentially ours - there was no foot traffic and only the occasional boat.

Another picture of the beautiful canals.


There were all sorts of neat little touches, like this angelic streetlight, with the lamp surrounded by three glass umbrellas.


Art was EVERYWHERE.


A famous bridge - Ponte Rialto (?). Italian sailors at the top were wooing almost every passing female.


The dreaded mist followed us from Prague, but we were still easily able to enjoy the city during the day.


We took a waterbus to Piazza San Marco, along the Canal Grande - the Basilica was jaw-dropping.


Speechless.


The sights just kept coming, one after another.


I wish I knew the name of this building, adjacent to Piazza San Marco.


I hated the pigeons. The girls loved them. Yuck.