A year ago today I was in Venice!

We left Montecatini and took a short drive to Pisa where we saw the Leaning Tower.  Pisa was interesting for about 20 minutes and then it felt like just another tourist trap.  I was glad we took pictures but I don’t think it was a place worth spending more than an hour.

I loved Italy but I felt like everywhere we went I was always concerned there would be pickpockets.  We didn’t have any pickpocket incidents but it is hard to completely relax when you have to constantly watch who is near you and what is going on.  All the big tourist spots made me a little nervous because I could see the way people were acting and some of them seemed a little suspicious.

After Pisa we drove to Venice.  After a long drive we arrived in Venice.  I L-O-V-E Venice!  It is a very special place and I have never seen anything like it.  Venice historically has been a very rich city and was once a very important center for commerce.  The city is as magnificent as you imagine based on movies and books.  The buildings are all beautiful and the elegant décor is to die for.

When we arrived in Venice we had to take a water taxi to our hotel.  It was really neat to see how this city of canals works and how they get around without vehicles and roads.  I am a boat person so I enjoyed seeing all the boats and using the water taxi's and the hotel's private boat that took us to dinner. 

While on vacation I read “The Glassblower of Murano” by Marina Fiorato.  I really enjoyed Venice because the book took place there and the book taught me a lot about the area, the history, and the culture of Venetians.  Venice and Rome are tied as my two favorite places in Italy.