More of Venice

The Piazza San Marco from the vaporetto in the Grand Canal. The basilica is the building in the center right in the distance; the fancy arches are actually a view of the side. The tower is the campanile, and the building in the front right is the doge's palace.




This is one of the innumerable small canals, which the Venetians call rivers; only the larger canals, such as the Grand Canal, are called canals.



















The buildings that line the Grand Canals are the palazzos one reads about, the homes of the very rich and occasionally famous. Many are empty and boarded up, and others are clearly flooded in the lower floor. There is nothing about their outward appearance that suggests the magnificence of their fabled interiors.



Another small river in a very quiet neighborhood. We read that for 80% of Venice, there are no tourists, and when we got off the beaten track, we found it to be true.

Because we weren't feeling well, we were not able to see all that we would have liked. One sight we missed was the island or Murano, where the famous Venetian glass is made. However, it is sold everywhere. These are two of the glitzy shops featuring the extremely expensive Murano glass.











Yes, gondolas are everywhere. Once you have seen them a few times crowded with tourists, they don't seem romantic -- more like a donkey ride at the zoo. But pricey -- $120 a half hour.


But they are pretty.