Venizia

 How do we talk about Venice? What do we say that explains the city? It's like an island sized museum lost in time.

When we arrived at the Venice Airport, we got our baggage and met up with Anya. All of us actually got our luggage, which I wasn't expecting. I called the Airbnb host and told her we'd landed. 

We figured out we needed to take the orange Alilaguna line vaporetto to the Cannaregio area so we found the orange line. Somehow, the porter (who was a big, burly, old italian guy) decided we needed The Orto stop and so he rushed us past a huge line of people who were waiting and he dropped us on a vaporetto. 

We drove through swampy, marshy, seagull laden areas and across open water until we could see St. Mark's Basilica on our left in the skyline. The vaporetto dropped us at the Orto stop and Robert found our BnB within 15 minutes.

Unfortunately, all of us had hit the wall at this point and our luggage felt like shackles and balls and chains, at this point. Anya was visibly exhausted. Nobody slept on our flights.

Once we got the BnB, our host met us there. She said she had the wrong key and that our power was out. I was livid, considering the unit had a 5 star review rating and was featured in Architectural Digest. Spoiler alert: we had electricity issues until Tuesday.

Once we got in, Anya fell asleep. Robert took a nap but woke up by 3pm. We went downstairs and had coffee and dinner, with him ordering spaghetti vongole (with clams) and me ordering carbonara, which has egg and bacon.

Anya woke while we were gone and was a little lost, but we eventually got her right as rain. 

On Monday, Anya stayed home to watch Queen Elizabeth's funeral, while Robert and I explored the island. We visited Rialto Bridge and St. Mark's square and found the Correr Museum. We found a supermarket in an old Theater and got some food for Anya and some grapes, veggies, chips, and chocolate. 

On Monday night, we went to see the la Traviata opera in a small castle. It was insanely good. The singers performed in 3 different rooms, one Act in each room. We followed them and drank champagne. The musicians were a piano player, violinist, and a cellist. Robert said he could have listened to them all night.

Tuesday we all went to St. Mark's square. We had breakfast at Florian Cafe. They brought us this gorgeous, layered tray with toast, cakes, meats and cheeses, breads, and a fruit medley with the best pineapple I've ever eaten and fat, sweet red currants. We had cappuccino and Robert said he doesn't know what the swill is they've been feeding us in the U.S.

We spent hours at the Correr Museum. We did the Torre d'orologio clock tower tour where we learned a family had been living in the tower among the clock workings for hundreds of years until 1998 when they stopped. 

Then we took Anya back to the Correr Museum so she could do all of the second floor, and we went to see the San Zaccariah church where Zaccariah is buried in a Crypt underneath, half covered in water. He was the father of Saint John the Baptist. The church was from the 15th century, with paintings on the stucco walls from floor to ceiling AND the ceiling. 

Then we went to see the Doge's palace. That was incredible. It was all a big PR stunt to show off their wealth and power, but by the time they built it, they were losing both. There was also a contemporary art installation in the last couple rooms, by Anselm Kiefer, called "These writings, when burned, will finally give a little light."

We went back to pick up Anya and went back to Rialto and the Hard Rock cafe and did some shopping. Then last night we went out late for dinner and had mushroom risotto, Lobster fettuccine, and steak Florentino. It was awesome. 

Today is Murano, Burano, and Torcello!