A high speed train took us north to Venice in two hours this morning. After a quick coffee to keep us going we left the train station and boarded the "city bus on water" - a vaporetto. Our journey down the grand canal took us about 40 minutes (stopping at every station) and gave us a good opportunity to see the Venetian palaces and all the boat varieties plying the waters. We disembarked at St. Mark's square and took a mini-tour around that area then we were set free for five hours to investigate Venice on our own with a promise to meet back at the train station at 6:00. Shopping, eating and walking around this truly pedestrian city was delightful (and tiring!). There are no cars, buses, motor scooters or bicycles in Venice - just feet and water for transportation. Tourists (us!) number in the thousands everyday and we blended right in taking in all the sights. At 6:00 everyone had found their way back to the station and we boarded the train for Florence. Tony and Elaine had been to Venice before so they decided to stay in Florence to visit a museum and climb to the top of the dome of the Duomo - 463 steps up and 463 steps down! Another good day in Italy. . .
