Venice

Warm weather, blue sky. A perfect day to see Venice. We caught boat around the Grand Canal to St Mark's Square, then spent the rest of the day wandering back towards the station. Which is easier said than done. It's very easy to get lost in Venice's lanes & alleyways. The shopping in the lanes was pretty marvellous- really expensive designer shops by the dozen, lots of beautiful shoes & leather bags, glassware, jewellery, food & everything you can imagine- mostly but not all expensive. Many mask shops too. Lots of tourist stalls as well with much the same things in them & gondoliers touting for business & people trying to sell you tickets to orchestral concerts, ballets & operas. Lots of tourists too. It must be quite something in June & July

Some of the large Cruise ships in port.

St Mark's church area.

Heavy equipment on a barge. Everything has to be transported by water.

Deliveries arriving on barge, loaded onto cart which is disappearing into crowds.

There couldn't be a more picturesque city.

Every bridge you cross a canal over gives a view you think is better than the last. Eventually you just have to put your camera away.

Some alleys are only wide enough for 2 people to pass.

The Grand Canal is teeming with life & water craft of all sorts. Some of the smaller canals are quiet backwaters.

Grand Canal

More **** gondolas

There are a few squares & open spaces (not large) but this is a rare bit of space with trees. I couldn't take a photo of the delicious smell of baking biscuits wafting around.