venice recap: part 3

Although I suppose one could eat and shop all day in Venice without doing much of anything else, eventually Big Jim and I did manage to see some of the city's better-known sites. :-) Even though we were staying on the island of Giudecca, this was easy for us to do because, as I mentioned previously, the hotel has a free shuttle available pretty much all day. And the 5-minute boat ride dropped us off a short walk from la Piazza San Marco, which could have not been more convenient. The plaza is known for a few things:

The tower:

The cathedral:

The crowds:

And of course the pigeons:

As cathedral's go, Saint Mark's is pretty impressive, as is the entire square. Even at a fair distance from the basilica, the smell of "old", centuries of incense and history, wafts out into the plaza from the church's open doors.

No photography is allowed inside, which is understandable, but a pity. The incredibly detailed inlaid floors are mesmerizing, and I spent most of my time there crouched down admiring them while streams of tour groups passed around me, seemingly oblivious to what treasures lay beneath their feet.

And of course no trip to the piazza would be complete without a trip to Caffe Florian, an institution since 1720, which allows it to charge crazy prices. The two coffees and cake that Big Jim and I shared, as well as a sitting fee, totaled 40,50 euros, or in today's (sad) dollar, $64.75! Which is a bit extravagant, but the coffee and cake were excellent and the people-watching superb. As a once (or twice)-in-a-lifetime experience, I highly recommend the splurge. :-D

(I have included additional fotos not included in the post to the Venezia photo album in the sidebar, just FYI.)
hasta pronto,
mylifeinspain

3 years ago: Poor Mr. Beebs
2 years ago: No entry.
1 year ago: Born to be Wild

Comments

[Ron D]

I have been quietly enjoying the photos and comments from your recent journey to Venice, Italy. The architecture of the buildings is beautiful and will never be duplicated in modern times. I am happy to hear the trip worked out well for both of you. Envious - D A D