There are 55,000 people living on the island of Venice, and over 20 million tourists a year, so we were a little overwhelmed. Yes, it was busy, but we found quiet places where you could relax and where the food prices were not outrageous. I also discovered the Campari Spritzer drink which is more refreshing than beer sometimes.

Our AirB&B hosts gave us some really good tips on restaurants where the locals eat, and we weren’t disappointed – a couple of the best meals I’ve ever had. I talked to the owner of one place, right on a canal, and he mentioned he’s a drummer. When I told him I play a little guitar, he told me that next time I’m in Venice, to bring my guitar, and we can play in the restaurant. How cool would that be?

There are over 400 bridges on this tiny island city, and hundreds of narrow streets, some of which I had to duck to get through. There are no motor vehicles or bicycles in Venice, only pedestrians and boats. We got 3-day Vaporetti passes (public transit boats), and spent much time on those, including a night-time circumnavigation of the island. Of course, there were tourist traps galore, the famous gondola rides being one of them. I was much more content to just watch and photograph them.

Venice is very historical – the home of Marco Polo, Casanova and Shylock, to name a few. So I noticed there are many plaques, with quotes; but being in Italian, I couldn’t read them. But I began thinking of some other famous quotes:

     "Never was so much owed by so many to so few."    
             - Winston Churchill

     "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country."
             - John F. Kennedy

     "I have more than enough to eat at home."     
             - Rob Ford
[click on any photo for slideshow]

Gettin’ them ready

Peggy Guggenheim museum

Peggy Guggenheim museum

At the fish market

Piazza San Marco

Sunset on the canal

The out-island of Burano

The out-island of Burano