Venice, Italy

This is the place I've wanted to be for the past week. I was just there in April and it was amazing and I'm ready to go back and spend some more time shopping for glass and eating great Italian food. I miss prosciutto. I could get it on pizza and sandwiches. It was amazing. I know it's not that healthy so its a good thing that I'm gone. However, I can eat as much prosciutto in my mind as I wish because it's like e-food. That gives off e-calories, which doesn't make me gain weight. Well maybe the e-me. :D

Anyways back to Venice. Basilica di San Marco is a must while you're there. It's like a gold platted wonder on the inside. It's the bastard child of Renaissance Architecture and Byzantine. It's gorgeous. I would recommend footing the extra few Euro for the treasury too. There are some pretty interesting things in there. And of course it is the location of the Pala d'Oro, for all those Art History buffs. The Pala d' Oro is the high alter retable. It's a gorgeous masterpiece of Byzantine craftsmanship.

Last time I went to Murano, the glass island. Always worth the trip, you could buy an entire symphony made of glass. I went shopping on the Rialto bridge and got a great glass quill. There's a nice little shop full of them there. And most of the shops carry little things like glass rings that are usually affordable. I also visited the Doge's Palace, which was very nice and had some beautiful rooms if you're in to looking at old architecture and antique furniture. The Archaeological museum was pretty fun too. And unfortunately the Bridge of Sighs was under construction so I didn't get to see it as well, I did go across it though.

This time, however, I want to visit the not only the Bridge of Sighs, which is no longer under construction (at least in my mind), but I also want to visit the Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo, which has a very cool looking outer spiral staircase. I think an afternoon coffee at Caffe Florian would be a good idea, before deciding to make the trek up St. Mark's Campanile, which is the belltower, to get a good view. If I still have time I might hope on the water taxi over to the island of San Giorgio Maggiore. I've heard there is a gondola museum, which sounds like a unique sight to see. Of course as a art history buff I'd have to visit the church of San Giorgio Maggiore, which was designed by Palladio. And if there is a show on at the Teatro Verde, which is on the island. That may be the end to the great day. Fill in some pizza and prosciutto and it will be perfect.

And as always some extra information...yay wikipedia?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venice
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_di_San_Marco
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pala_d%27Oro
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caff%C3%A8_Florian
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palazzo_Contarini_del_Bovolo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Giorgio_Maggiore