Amsterdam and Venice 2022

The next morning dawned fair again (we have been so blessed!). I woke with a sore throat and probably a bit of fever (I am living on aspirin), so we took it easy in the morning, lying down for a bit after breakfast. The only thing on our schedule was a tour of the Doge’s Palace at noon. We were lucky enough to get a vaporetto that had seats in the front of the boat, so I got a few last shots of the Grand Canal from a primo position. One home had what looked like a display of Chihuli glass on its top balcony, sparkling in the sun. The Rialto Bridge in the background. Going under the Rialto Bridge. We started out again at St. Mark’s Square. The bell tower has had climbers with ropes on it for the last few days, and we realized they were repairing cracks in  the brick on one side of the wall. Not for the faint-hearted! The square was crowded with tourists, as usual, but we did a “skip the line” ticket (for which we still had to stand in line, but oh well). It’s a large building right ...

The day dawned fresh and sunny, and by the time we had taken the bus into old Venice and ridden the #1 vaporetto to St. Mark’s Square, I was feeling in need of a sweater or jacket. I had woken with a sore throat and didn’t want to get chilled. A perfect opportunity to buy a merino wool scarf from the many tourist racks that line the waterfront (my one souvenir). Note that the pile of trestle tables I’m sitting on. There are similar piles stacked all around Venice—to be used when the water is high in the Square or other places, providing a raised sidewalk for tourists. There are gondolas lining the waterfront of the Grand Canal, as well as parked at smaller canals throughout the city  Phil informed me that the gondola is traditionally built off-center, to accommodate the gondolier’s’ weight as he stands on the back left-hand side. You can see how these are listing to the side.     The gondoliers must wear striped shirts to be easily recognized. Here is a gondola traff...