Oh Venice. I can’t even begin to explain. Venice wasn’t on our itinerary but Norman practically begged to go there. The tickets on the Eurostar high speed train, from Rome to Venice, weren’t cheap. We left Siena, came back to Rome, got tickets late that night, and got up at 4am to make the early train. We had some British guys in the adjoining room who would go out and come back drunk at 2:30 every morning. That night we had to call security because they were particularly loud and obnoxious. When the wake up call came, I turned over and said to Norman: “I don’t think I can.” He said: ”Get up, you can sleep on the train.” That never happened as we were seated next to two Italian women who talked the entire 3 hours. I want to set the stage because by the time we got to Venice I was in a crabby mood.
All that disappeared the minute, the very minute, I stepped out of the train station. What a magical place. Yes, it was truly magical. If you’ve been there you know and if you haven’t been you need to get there. And imagine, I didn’t want to go. So thanks to Norman for pushing me to what was truly the best day of the trip. This is literally what you see when exiting the train station:
We saw all these locks on one of the bridges. Don’t know what they are for, but I like the shot.
I Love the mossy green steps that lead into the water. I’m afraid they look rather slippery, don’t they?
Oh, the crumbling beauty of it all. 
The doorways….one was better than the next…..
The glasswork everywhere was simply spectacular:
We took a water taxi ride (for 20 minutes $60 euros) so we decided to forgo the gondola ride. 
Piazza San Marco in all its glory:
Feeding the pigeons like silly tourists!
Norman was also eating the snacks!
We loved all the little walks around the piazza. Very easy to get disoriented and lost back in there. 
According to Norman, this pizza, which we ate in Venice, was the BEST pizza he’s ever eaten in his life! Ethan seemed to enjoy it too.
Stop back tomorrow for our final day in Florence.
Finally, thanks to one of my grooms, Michael, who sent me this link to help explain the locks in Venice:
http://thekosmoblog.blogspot.com/2010/03/padlocks-of-love.html