Final Thoughts on Venice

We are leaving Venice in the morning to meet up with the Wilderness Travel guides and start the 10 or so days of hiking.  Last night we went out to dinner at a restaurant recommended by sister, Wendy, it was called Antico Martini.  It was delicious!  The dinner started out with the cute little container pictured below with cucumber yogurt. . .very light and yummy.  

 I also had my first, but not last Bellini of the trip!  Love champagne and love even more with a little peach nectar!  The ambience was lovely, we sat on the terrace and enjoyed the cool evening temperatures!  After dinner we went to hear Interpreti Veneziani at the Chiesa di San Vidal play some Vivaldi!  The piccolo soloist was AMAZING!!!  Our friend, Carole had told us it was not to miss and she was right!  Sadly, she was stuck in Frankfort for 15 hours and missed the concert.

This morning we slept in and had scheduled massages for our pre-hike wellness (as if we need a reason) Jeanna scheduled the "Angel Special Back and Neck Treatment with Hot Pepper Cream" massage and I chose the "Thai Massage"  We arrived in the spa and were directed to our lockers, Jeanna was given the usual robe and slippers and I was handed basically workout clothes. . . ah oh!  I knew the massage was to include stretching but now I was a little nervous.  I entered the massage room and there was large gym mat on the floor. . . let's just say I have been pulled and stretched in ways that I could have never imagined!!!  I think I am 3 inches taller!

We then took our boat over to Venice and met up with our hiking buddies, Iwa, Carole, and Rob.  We spent the afternoon eating and walking through the parts of Venice we had yet to explore.

This was a more residential area across the Grand Canal from San Marco.  You can see the laundry being hung out to dry and the residents boats parked in front of their homes.

Jeanna in front of the Michelangelo exhibit trying out his wing invention!

Jeanna and I on the Academia Bridge

After walking we were parched and decided to head to the iconic Harry's Bar to have an original Bellini! (Just like the hero did in Hemingway's Across the River and into the Trees.

Bellini toast!

So arrividerci Venice it has been an experience!  I would like to come back again and explore the glass factories and artisans on the island of Murano and a few things we couldn't get to this trip.  Tomorrow the real adventure begins and I am sure there will be great tales to tell in the coming days.  Hopefully we will have internet every once and awhile so I can update the blog with photos (not much commentary. . .since we basically just out one foot in front of the other :-)!  Ciao!