Today I am in Venice, after a couple of long flights from the US. Venice is a town without cars. It’s small…but “stuff” gets here by boat and is transported around by people, mostly men, lugging it in oversized wheelbarrows basically. One can take either a “water taxi” to Venice from the airport…110 euros or about $120, or a “water bus” for 17 euros..under $20..which is what I did. It took about 90 minutes from the airport to the San Marco stop. There are posts coming out of the water all around Venice, like lane markers on a freeway…the water is very busy with taxis, buses, speed boats, tug boats etc.

Once I arrived I had to figure out the cryptic directions from the website…Had I not checked most of my luggage at the airport I would have been in big trouble lugging it over the cobblestoned streets, particularly since I had no idea where I was going. I asked a few friendly shop keepers though and found my way to the hotel which was air conditioned! (It was pretty warm out today.)

The souvenirs here are masks, Murano glass and the usual t shirts, hats and key chains…

I walked through the famous San Marco Piazza to the hotel and up a street so narrow that two people barely fit side by side. After checking in,   my camera and I took off    exploring. I went to the top of the tower in San Marcos Piazza.

Later I took boat #2 down the grand canal and in a big circle ending back at San Marcos. I also walked to the Rialto area and saw a lot of bridges, canals and gondolas.

There are a lot of churches here, many very lovely and ornate and I saw a few of them, it’s hard to miss them in Venice.

It was very crowded nearly everywhere, and I heard lots of American, Australian, English, German and French voices and even met one couple from South Africa. There were a lot of people from Asia too, and selfie sticks galore. Also a few gelato stores on every block and about 10 pizza places on each street!

I met up with Cathie Anderson and Carol Clay for dinner…off to sleep now!