venice, italy.

You go a month plus without the Internet and you find yourself feeling a little disconnected. So we got home a week ago and spent the first couple days on our computers, wasting time, facebook stalking and catching up on the Bachelorette. Now it's time to catch up on the blogging! So to our readers, lets dive into the beautiful city of Venice, Italy!

We stepped off the plane to the most humid weather I've ever experienced. Hot and totally muggy! We got to our place, which was full of character.. we'll just leave it at that and laid in bed wondering how we were going to get through the night. We're so blessed in the US to have central air! Europeans don't have central heating or AC, so in the summer they sleep with one thin sheet or no sheet. Even with nothing, we were still sweaty and sticky in bed that night. But we slept well with the thought that the next day we were going to see one of the greatest cities in Europe!

Venice is an island that is literally floating on the water. Years ago, when it was first established, the people took pine logs and cemented them into the ground. Over time those pine columns petrified and made a good foundation for the city (well good for the time, we now know that it really wasn't that great of an idea. Annually it sinks 2"). There are around 400 bridges connecting the city. It's the only city in the modernized world that has yet to adopt cars. People walk and take boats everywhere. Their homes truly open up to a canal and they get right into their boat. It's a completely different world! Totally cute though! The city itself, has a very complicated design. Even with a map, we were constantly getting lost! Why can't the rest of the world adopt the grid system??

Because it's such a small island you can easily see all the attractions in one day. This is at Piazzle San Marco, and as you can see.. there are thousands of people here! It's totally crowded and hard to get anywhere, but it's our fault for going in the heat of tourist season. In the basilica to our left, the body if the apostle Marc is buried. Straight ahead between those columns, you can go right out to the water. The water is a beautiful jade green!

The food was so good! We were able to enjoy lunch right on the water! The food is amazing, the desserts are amazing (try a pistachio cookie) and the gelato?? Well you haven't tried anything  like it! We were only there for 3 entire days, but we felt like it was home! It's such a delightful city and if you ever find yourself in the area or even in Europe.. take a little puddle jumper flight over to Venice! You won't regret it:)