"Beautiful Venice" a Venice Travel Page by paulcantlon

Ciao bellissima personne!!!!!!
Just got back from beautiful Venice!! Missed the floods earlier in the week thank goodness, we were both highly dubious after having seen photos in the paper of people getting around the streets in kayaks but fortunately the chaos had disbanded by the time we arrived. Didn't fancy having to canoe my way around. But what a city. Venice is probably the only place in the world where the tourists may possibly outnumber the pigeons which makes you wonder if eventually the City of Venice will get an idea to taint Venezian cuisine with birth control as they do the pigeon seed. The locals might be able to move back there then!!
Of course we spent a lot of time eating, getting lost in the myriad labyrinths and sightseeing which consists of quite a lot of shuffling behind hordes of people and swerving kamikaze pigeons as they'd dive bomb you from clandestine locations. Filthy things, people were letting them sit in their hair and everything.... Uggghhh.
Anyway, Venice most definitely lives up to its reputation. Countless meanders of canal framed alleyways lure you to markets of tawdry Venezian glass (which looks like it belongs on the table at a bad 1980's prom) and rather ostentatious carnival masks covet window fronts that stretch from the Rialto region to the snaking behemoth of the Grand Canal. The Grand Canal is the unassuming heart of Venice where Vaporetti (water buses) and Gondola plough the waterway replacing cars as the main mode of transport. The best part is sunset, when the dilapidated old waterside residences and the imposing dome of the Santa Maria mimic a luminous pink which flecks off the lapping swell of the Adriatic. Absolutely gorgeous. We took a gondola ride which cost us a small fortune but it was amazing. The skill those guys have is something to be in awe of as they propel you along without so much as allowing the oar to leave the water all the whilst managing to keep their balance and good humour! . It is Venice at its romantic best no matter what anyone says!
Now, St Mark's basilica is the most awesome and opulent display of Catholicism you're ever likely to see. Haven't been to Rome yet so this opinion may change! But the designs and gold mosaics are so unbelievably intricate that half an hour or so could easily elapse before you realise how unnaturally you've craned your neck in taking in as much as you can. All you can do is gasp and stand agape wondering how frivolous the Catholics must have been with their wealth as clearly no expense was spared. Truly amazing stuff.
Murano is crap, don't bother. 2 hours of our lives we'll never get back. Enough said.
The other stand out which of course comes as no surprise for Paul and I is the food. I tell you, when we go on our van trip (in 4 months and counting!!) we'll be fat little piggies. With pizzas, less is more, its all about the flavour!! And Squid in ink with either spaghetti or polenta seemed to be a concurrent theme, unusual but very nice - it looks like your food has been dipped in black biro ink. I know that squids use "ink" as protection but we weren't game to ask if it was like, poo sauce or something. I really don't want to know even now!
Not much else is left to say really, what hasn't been written? You just have to go there and see it for yourself!!