While in Venice we arranged for a guided tour of Basilica San Marco and the Ducal Palace. Unfortunately no photos are allowed inside the Basilica. Laura, from Venice with a Guide, expertly guided us through the must-see sights, insuring we saw the Basilica under illumination, which made the gold ceilings shimmer. 31 years to build and 500 years to decorate sums up the internal and external beauty of this structure. Some of my favorite paintings on the exterior include the theft of St. Mark’s bones in a basket of pork so the Muslims would avoid looking too closely at the contents.

The Dugal Palace, the hall of politics and justice, connected to the prison through the Bridge of Sighs, so as not to drag prisoners through the streets. Lord Byron labeled the walkway between the buildings the Bridge of Sighs as a prisoner would see Venice for the last time from its small window.

Click on image to view full size

On our actual anniversary we strolled to the Fondamente Nove to catch a vaporetti, hoping to tour the Grand Canal. From that spot we’d have to change at the bus station to pick up the vaporetti #1, the slow boat down the Grand Canal. Because the bus station is the first stop we were lucky enough to grab the front seats on the bow of the boat, in the open air, and take in the whole canal in the beautiful afternoon light, complete with gorgeous sunset. I’ll let the pictures do the talking.

Click on image to view full size

Our anniversary dinner at a beautiful modern restaurant called Alguibagio whose motto is “The best things in life are either unlawful, immoral… or make one fat”. We dined on multiple fish courses and of course tiramisu. Our night was complete with an anniversary wish in sugar completed with a blowtorch. Note the spelling.

Click on image to view full size

Our last day has been filled with cicchetti bar hopping, souvenir shopping and packing for home. It has been a spectacular ‘aniversary’ trip.

Arrivederci Venezia!

Deborah