Venice

Well, after a few days in Arco we decided it was time to take a day trip to Venice, which is just a few hours away.  In lieu of absurd gas prices, highway tolls, and low (110Km/h) speed limits, train is the most economical way to travel in Italy and as such was the obvious choice to reach Venice for the day.  For the round trip price of 48Eur/person and the reduction in travel time by 1 hour, it was a pretty easy decision.  Not to mention, the train drops you in the center of the tourist district.

Upon arrival in Venice, it becomes exceedingly obvious that you have just entered one of the most touristic cities in the entire world.  A day in Venice is easily likened to a day in Disney World, and similar in both expense and novelty.  Amanda and I spent most of the day just wandering around, poking our heads into random churches, taking pictures, and sampling the food.  In total we probably walked across the city 2-3 times and it certainly has  great personality and charm.  That being said, I'm glad we were only there for 7 hours and not for multiple days. The day's highlight, however, was when a well-voiced Italian man and his accordion player cruised under a bridge on a Gondola:  The music was resonating through the narrow canal and it was obvious that nothing could be any more Italian.  The novelty of this experience was unlike any I have experienced and made it feel as if I were in a movie.  Ultimately, it was a good but exhausting day and we were happily back on the train by 7:15PM.  Today (Friday) we are going to rent mountain bikes and then spend the weekend climbing.

Below are some pictures I took in Venice.

A "Venetian Street"

"Main Street Venice"

Come on guys, can't you make a tower that doesn't lean?  So far I'm not convinced....

Caio