First Full Day in Venice

 Today started with more cappuccino, espresso, and pastries… man, life is just rough isn't it. After we got rolling to our normal late start we did a little shopping and gelato testing as we made our way to Rialto Bridge.

 Here's the girls on the Rialto Bridge with the Grand Canal as a backdrop. We read about a music instrument museum, Museo della Musica, that sounded really good so we walk to find it. We found the general area, but never did find the museum… and that was after asking several people that worked in that area too. I even bought a map, which for the record, was the worst 3 euro I've ever spent. Street names are difficult to find, the names when you do find them are in Venetian and the map is in Italian, etc. etc. The only thing it really did was make us blend in with the other 90% of people (idiots) carrying maps, DOH! I did read that even Venetians get lost in Venice and that's something everyone should do. If nothing else it was a beautiful walk.

 We grabbed some pizza for the kids on the return walk and headed to find a gondolier, let's turn this Venezia leg up notch. Or as Abigail and I would say mimicking NotBillWalton: Throw it down gondolier, THROW IT DOWN!

  Here we all are in the gondola before beginning.

 On the Grand Canal at the Rialto Bridge.

 At one point while riding in the gondola, Madison started humming an Italian opera she learned in choir. Upon Abigail's goading, she started to sing. Not real loud at first, but when she was done, the gondolier said that it was beautiful and that she sang like an angel. Madison kept singing, in a normal voice now, and as we pass bridges and other gondolas the people stop dead in their tracks and either do a double take or outright stare in disbelief at how beautiful it is. That was the best gondola ride ever, for everyone involved. I'm just sorry for the grief we caused the gondolier in having to explain Madison was a customer and not an act to be hired. 

 Here are the girls in the absolutely picture book setting.

 Another great day. I'll try to get this posted tomorrow morning (it's 2:00 in the afternoon actually) and see what the next day holds. Our last full day in Venice.

Ciao!