Still smilin in Venice

Greetings from Venice where we are completing our 6th day of traveling in Italy.

yes, the news reports were right, there is flooding in Venice, but it comes and goes (as in with the tides). We got some boots from the hostel office and off we went.
Ive got some great pics of us in boots at famous sites, but alas I will have to wait until I can download the pics off the camera.

Highlights
1) Venice is as charming as I remember it being 18 years ago when I travelled here with BI as a travel program manager. However, this time around there was no limo to pick me up or personal travel guide. Sigh! David and Anna are wonderful map readers and navigators so Iàm religated to being in charge of °documentation° meaning I take the pictures.
2) Even when one is wandering doesnàt mean they are lost. Unless of course they ARE lost which has happened to us a couple times here. Today we missed our boat gate (no comment on WHO was right and WHO was wrong...) and we rode the bus for an additional half hour. Oh well, it was great site seeing opportunities.
3) Iàm continuing on my personal mission to have a glass of Italian wine every day. And no Iàm not ahead of myself.
4) Seeing art (both classical and modern) here is amazing, although I do admit to getting a little overwhelmed at times. I just have to sit down and remember that this will have to last me a long time. Then Iàm up for another picture of the Madonna (and there are several)

Today we ventured all over the place (yes we got lost as Anna told us later--I just thought she was navigating and taking us a different way) We ended up at a flea market (hurray!) We also went over to the island of Murano which is famous for glass blowing.

Tonight we are going to a concert of Vivaldi music (The Four Seasons) We are here for the culture so might as well take as much as we can get!

Tomorrow will be an interesting day as we °split° up and go different directions--David and Anna are off to Paris and I am heading to Germany to see ATDutcher from PR.
Itàs probably time to take a little break from each other anyway.

So far weàre still smiling and talking and laughing and enjoying being here. Again pictures coming soon.

Buon Natale (Merry Christmas) from Venice to you