January 6, 2014

Sunshine in Venice!  For the first time since we've been here, there is no rain, only gorgeous sunny skies and no wind.

Strolling by the docks on a sunny morning

Reading my previous posts, it's clear that I've glossed over just what an amazing city Venezia is.  There is a term for this - it's called sensory overload.  You can't turn a corner here without seeing yet another huge marble building with a bunch of naked marble people hanging around all over it.  Evidently it didn't get cold back when they were building these things - otherwise they'd have put marble clothes on them.  : )

Venetian Street Light

Not one of the prettier naked marble people

A beautiful mosaic outside of a church

Venice is very, very beautiful and one would need a whole lot more time than we have to absorb the culture.  We went to the Grand Canal again, and again had lunch on this very sunny day.

Soaking up some rays

There are worse views to endure while having lunch.

I spent a bit more time observing the gondoliers.  They are the coolest guys, ever.  They maneuver 20-and-30 foot gondolas on the GC like nobody's business.  They make it look so effortless.  Made me think of my numerous rafting trips and I can guarantee you that is in no way effortless.  Now multiply the energy it takes to determinedly navigate a raft (away from) but into a river snag by about a jillion, and you've got one of these guys.  None of them ever sweats, or grunts, or as far as I can tell has a bad day.  And they are uber-cool.  We watched one gondolier chat on a cell phone while navigating between a huge water taxi and water bus; and another calmly puff on a stogie while a water ambulance zipped between him and another gondolier.  Evidently they never prang them, either.  We covertly observed several moored next to us and none had even the smallest scratch.  But not one gondolier was female.  In fact, in the 2 hours we spent at that sunny cafe, we never saw one woman piloting any sort of watercraft.  Why?

On the way back, we took a wrong turn and happened onto a Borsalino store!  Curses!  Borsalino hats are the epitome of hats, the hat of hats, the most elegant and beautiful handmade hats in the entire universe.  And yes of course, in the window was a gorgeous cranberry-colored fedora with my name on it.  It gently whispered Italian sensuality.  It whispered many things, all of them sexy and irresistible.  It whispered my name.  I was a goner.

Jack loves me.  The hat was his gift, at about the same cost as a mortgage payment.  They say love is blind.