“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page” – St. Augustine

Welcome to part 2 of our Italian Vacation. Or page 2, in light of the above quote!

As I mentioned before, I had low expectations about visiting Venice. In fact Jesse pretty much had to twist my arm to go. I’m sure glad he did – it was wonderful. The weather was very nice, the crowds not TOO bad (especially early in the morning – the best time to visit some of the more popular spots like Piazza San Marco), the location of our small, comfy hotel was ideal, and of course I have to mention food …more delicious pizza, plus fresh seafood! Jesse & I think the best way to experience any place is to wander around and get lost, and this is especially true in Venice. Besides, like the guidebooks say, it’s an island – how lost can you get? We passed up taking a Gondola ride, but we sure had fun photographing them. There were so many photo-ops that Jesse was really in his glory. It’ll be tough to choose what to show you here on the blog. And while we’re at it, we’re including a few pictures of Springtime in Zurich. There are some very nice views right here – only a 20 minute walk away! Plus, it’s always fun to add a photo or 2 of Lucky, the wonder-dog (I do wonder about that dog). Please scroll down to see …

Breakfast in Zurich, lunch in Venice, dinner in Florence

Two weeks ago, that was how our day went! Jesse and I left for our vacation to Italy in the morning, after starting out the day like usual with our Yogurt and Muessli. We flew into Venice where we had a few hours to kill, so we had a quick lunch near the train station. My first glimpse of the canal totally won me over (up until now, I wasn’t overly enthusiastic about visiting Venice – I’m not sure exactly why). It’s just beautiful. Soon we were on the train to Florence, where we checked into our hotel and then wandered around the city a bit. Before leaving Zurich, our daughter Allison had given us a great list of travel tips for Florence, since she studied there her fall semester of 2005. We followed her advice and had a great dinner at a taverna that was close to her apartment. I must say, I had the best time just seeing where she lived, wandering thru the streets, going to her favorite restaurants, and envisioning Allison at home in Florence. It was very gratifying. Other highlights of our 4 days there: the Uffizi, The Church and Convent of San Marco and the frescoes by Fra Angelico, walking up to Piazzale Michelangelo for the fantastic view of the city, the Church of Santa Maria del Carmine and more amazing frescoes, and the food: pasta, pizza, gelato and espresso! Being in Florence was a feast for all the senses. I hope you enjoy our photos below. Part 2 of our Italian Vacation is coming to this blog soon! (With more about Venice!)