After a fitful night of creaking train sleep, we arrived in Venice. The sun was shining, the water was blue and after the gray skies of Vienna, we were in Heaven.

Rick Steves informed us a good introduction to Vienna is to take the boat bus from the train station to San Marco.


We got off the water boat at San Marco, the famous cathedral with interesting Islamic influence evident in the dome style.
It was under a little construction. They were probably hoping to get it done before tourist season is in full swing. That's a lot of tourists for it not being tourist season, you say? Indeed. Welcome to Venice.
Other highlights of Venice:


Shopping!



Ani and I are making a wish under it. Mine came true. We'll get to Ani and Kaija's visit later though.
Our one and only night in Venice, Mike Yohai met us for a pub crawl.

Yohai, and the ladies ready to drink on every bridge...

Pub crawl group picture: priceless. Thanks, Lexi.
The next day we went to Murano:
Then we found a playground.


We never wanted to leave...

Notes on Visiting Venezia
Venice is beautiful. It will make you feel like throwing money of a yacht just because you can (except we couldn't because we're poor college students). The city is small. Rick Steves encouraged us to get lost and we did. You can't get too far on an island so you can always find your way back to somewhere you recognize. Eat and shop a lot but look out for rip-offs. Venice is and always has been the world's greatest tourist trap, and the people who live and work here know it and will take advantage of you if you let them. Don't expect to escape the "touristy" areas of Venice, because you are looking for the authentic Venetians. Embrace the fact that authentic Venice IS touristy and it's sinking so you better enjoy it while it lasts. Snap lots of pictures, all of them will come out beautiful.
At the end of the day, Venice wore us out and we were ready to see Florence.