The city of Canals

We arrived in Venice today and it is beautiful. Better than pictures actually. But before I talk about the canals, the gondalas, the seafood, let me tell you....

We were upgraded to first class on our flight here! Hell yes, friends! We did the red eye, so it made our lives that much better and the people in coach that much suckier. Free champagne, a 3 course meal, free movies (on delta) and a bed! Sure, it wasn't as comfy as our bed at home with a goose down pillow and blanket that I didn't have to pay for. It sure beat sleeping while sitting up and having to share armrest with greedy mcgreederson and doing that awkward butt in your neighbor's face while you get up to go to the bathroom while they're still sleeping move. I don't think we'll get upgraded on the way home....sad panda.

We took the vaporetti(water bus) from the airport to San Marco's Square. We stayed at the Casanova Hotel. Sounds sexy right? It was a good hotel. The rooms were fine and we had a room with two singles....YES!!! I got my own bed. I don't like being crowded so I found this a real treat while Aaron was lonely. The hotel is literally a couple blocks from San Marco's Square and the Basillica. Aaron says that he would suggest to his friends to stay in the Rialto region though, as it's more central to the sights in Venice.

The moment we got here, we did exactly what the tour books said; get lost! It really wasn't hard though. There's so many corridors and canals, half of which aren't even labeled or on maps that it's hard to actually know exactly where you are. Aaron, the master of maps was even getting lost.

There are gondaliers EVERYWHERE here. Aaron said it's cheesy to ride in a gondola, but to me, it's iconic to Venice, the same way that the Great Wall of China is iconic to all of China. You have to do it....did we do it? No....but here's hoping that tomorrow I get to do it.

We climbed over the Rialto bridge, one of only 4 bridges that crosses over the Grand Canal. All the architecture here is SUPER old. Older than Paris. The Rialto bridge had TONS of tourists on it, taking pictures, watching the boats go by, and just getting in my way.

The other suggestion that travel books and websites said alike, was to eat 2 cups of gelato a day so that is precisely what I am going to do on this trip. I hope I don't get sick.

Gelato of Venice

Stina- Raspberry which tasted more like sherbert and chocomente which wasn't the best.

Aaron- Pistachio, and later in the evening, he had a double scooper of nutella and chocolate. How brave of him!