Ciao Venezia!

We left Portland at 1:30 pm Tuesday, Portland time and Jeanne left Minneapolis at 7:20 pm Minneapolis time.  We arrived in Amsterdam at 8:30 am Wednesday, Amsterdam time.  We had 3 hours to kill.  Jeanne, on the other hand, barely made the Venice flight.  She even had to run some.  But she made it.  We arrived in Venice.  It was so cool to see Venice island from the air as we flew in.

Coming into Venice on the water bus or Alilaguna.

All together at the Hotel Belle Arti.  What a fantastic hotel.

We dumped our stuff off in our rooms and then hit the "road" running.  We bought tickets for a 2 day pass unlimited boat rides, the vaporetto.  We only went just a few stops on the Grand Canal to the San Marco stop.  We are here!!! Piazza San Marco.  Perfect timing.  It was not crowded at all.  

We went up the elevator in the Campanile or bell tower in the square for the view!!  About 24 floors up.  

We wandered around. We are really here!!

Libation break.  We each had a spritz and snacks.  Very refreshing.

Another random "street" scene.  We went back to the hotel and then headed out for dinner.  We did what all the tour guides say to do - We got lost.  We wandered around a bit until we got reoriented.  Fabulous dinner at the Al Casin dei Nobili.  I had a white lasagna.  Everyone else had some fish dish.

After dinner we went back to the hotel and crashed!  What a full fun day.  The weather could not have been better.