Venice

---

Hi all we spent three glorious days in Venice. It is almost too amazing to describe in words. The city is magical. The only method of transportation is by canal or by foot through streets, and i use that term loosely. They are alleys, some so narrow you can touch the walls on either side with your arms outstretched. Getting lost in Venice is easy and fun. You just wander, using the canals and bridges as your points of reference, otherwise the street just wind through each liitle campo and neighborhood or shopping district. Oh, did i say shopping, i cant believe the stores. oh my, if only the dollar were in our favor. And the Italians! The style of these people.. i want to photograph them. Some of the most beautiful people in the world... and not just the women. Every thing they were is tailored and fits them to a t. Even the police uniforms are designed by Armani. We had lunch in an outside cafe in St. Marks square, listening to the orchestra. It was so amazing. we visited the guggenheim museum - i loved it. All abstract 20th century art. We also visit the doges palace as well as the accademia... here the art was 13th century, when the laws only allowed painters to paint regelious figures or statesman. Hate to say it but i got a bit tired of painting of the virgin and the baby. We did ride a gondola, it was a treat, however i think our gondoleir was a bit weary from all the tourists. Venice has a populaiton of 60k and on any given day there are 40 - 60K tourists. I can understand their weariness of dealing with stupid tourists. If you ever visit Venice you must try the cuttle fish with the black ink sauce. Ask Mark, apparently he is living the when in rome philosphy. I on the other hand play it a bit safer.
On to Florence.

---