Wow! Did we get a great taste of Venice
this morning! First, we had a 90-minute Hidden Venice walking tour of quiet
back streets with Anna, our irrepressible local guide.
She was very informative
and also very humourous. She explained the architecture and the challenges of
living here. The population has dropped precipitously in the historic area, as
more comfortable, convenient and affordable housing became available nearby.
She described the very communal way of living – including the Venetian official
pastime of getting together to criticize tourists.After a short break in St.
Mark’s Square, we boarded several gondolas for a Gondola Serenade through
smaller canals and a bit on the Grand Canal, with musicians in the boat of
those celebrating big birthdays, but all of us could hear them. It was magical.
We were resting in our hotel by noon.
A while later, I went out to explore nearby streets, but
they were chaotic and I didn’t want to get lost, so I was back very soon.
Our
last evening together as a group began with a walk through St. Mark’s Square to
the water’s edge, where we boarded 3 water taxis to cruise the Grand Canal. When
we disembarked, we gathered for a drink on the square, where a musical group
was playing. Then we had a delicious dinner, with lots of joyful conversation
and recollections of the last 12 days. What a great trip this was. Annelies
didn’t let any detail escape her attention. Enzo was a terrific driver. All the
members of the group took care of one another, and watched out for each other,
which we greatly appreciated. Sorry to say good-bye, but looking forward to
being home. Link to All Photos of the Day
Gondola Serenade Videos
[Note on videos: After playing a video, end by closing the browser tab on top line to get back to blog selections]
Solo under bridge
Tom and Merren BD Solo
On the Grand Canal
Reluctant Janice & Tom and Sonia
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