Venice

Ciao,

Right now I'm in Venice taking a breather from the cold! I think the windchill here is in the teens, and we're all dressed in layers. It's the worst when we have to cross bridges over the canals.

Just a brief description of Pisa: it was freezing there as well and we only stayed about an hour and a half to see the leaning tower. We went there for an afternoon trip yesterday, and didn't do all that much. Pisa is a small place, and all they really have is the tower and cathedral.  We returned to Florence that night.

It was about a four hour bus ride from Florence to Venice, and we stopped once to refuel (both the buses and ourselves). I got a dark kit kat bar, which tastes a little different here than in the States. We had lunch at the hotel and checked into our rooms, which are very small and cramped! I definitely prefer the Florence hotel!

We went on a tour yesterday and today of the city, visiting places such as the Chiesa Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, that held paintings by Titian, Veronese, Tintoretto, and other works by Giorgione and Donatello. It was a huge place but extremely cold! Even the inside of most of the buildings here are freezing! Afterwards we went to the Scuola di San Rocco which featured frescoes by Tintoretto. Finally, we ended the tour at the Academia Museum, seeing most works of art.

Afterwards, a group of us went out to eat and I had a delicious pizza, mahrgerita, and some more bread and rolls to snack on. The rest of my table got pasta, but I figured you couldn't go wrong with pizza.

Fast forward to the next day, we took a tour of the Doges Palace, St. Mark's Basilica, and St. Mark's Museum. There were a bunch of mosaics there and it was a huge cathedral. Mass is still given there every week. Afterwards, a group of us walked around and had paninis (sandwiches) and I am now here typing this blog! I'm considering going on a gondola ride in a bit, but it is freezing so I'm not sure if I could take it!

Venice is nice overall, but I will be happy to return to Florence!

Leaning tower of Pisa

 Streets of Venice

On balcony of St. Mark's Basilica