The train, the vaporetto and the gondola...

Breakfast at the hotel in Milan was very good.  We packed up and headed out to the Centrale station. Today was clear blue and bright sunshine.  The station is so huge and beautiful.   The station was active and crowded this AM, and there seemed to be pigeons everywhere, even inside.  The birds were entertaining as they would ride around on revolving advertising displays.

The train ride here was comfortable and beautiful.  The Italian Alps were to the north, often not that far off - frequently snow capped and always very stunning.  The countryside to the south was alternately green and flat or green and rolling, quite beautiful.

The train dropped us right out on Venice island.  Public transportation on Venice island consists of water taxis (which are essentially limos, quite expensive), and vaporettos (Italian for little steamer), which is a water bus.  It took us a bit to figure out the water bus system, but eventually we were on the right boat going the right direction to head to our hotel - near the church Santa Maria delle Salute - which is at the far end of the grand canal, about an hour ride and a grand tour in itself.  Blue sky and sun, it was all that could have been imagined or expected.  This place is surreal.

We checked in and set out through the alleyways to the east looking food.  We happened upon a "Corner Bar" and had some tortellini.  Then continued north across the Academia bridge and then west to St Mark's square and cathedral.

One of the things we have been doing to meet people is when we see them taking selfies we offer to take their picture.  They do the same for us and then we find out where they are from and how long they have been in Italy and Europe and how soon they are going home.  It seems to be a bonding experience with other Americans.

We came back a little ways where we had a pre-arranged gondola ride.  We didn't really know what to expect.  We went out with the fleet. Roughly 35 people in 7 or 8 boats.  We were together with a mother and daughter from Australia.  The fleet kind of gathered around a singer and an accordion player on one of the boats - half the time in the Grand canal and half the time in some of the side canals.  You know, this was totally a hoot.  The gondoliers would clown around with us, with each other - it was like being on a canoe trip.  What fun.

We found some gelato (croissants, gelato and wine are the common theme so far in touring Italy) on the walk back to the hotel.  We picked up some snacks for the room, came back and crashed.  It was a surreal and successful day.