| ~~ |
Venice (and this particular gondolier) loved American Cool (and me). And I loved them right back. Though I adore Bellagio,
too much time spent there as a single can get stifling. So you'd think that while feeling hyper-aware of my single status, Venice would be a particularly poor choice to recover. Wrong! There are many happy couples
strolling the alleys and riding through the canals in Venice. But there's also a whole lot more potential to, uh, exploit one of the primary advantages of not being a couple. In case you don't get the picture, here's the picture.
|
 |
But let's step back for just a second. Here's my book enjoying a sunny day, entering the city on a water taxi.
|
 |
Baroque is most definitely the word for Venice. Not only the nearly outlandish island/canal structure of the city, but also the design and facades of the buildings.
|
 |
Most people, the main landmark in Venice is St. Mark's Square. Me? Harry's Bar. Possibly best known as a virtual home for Hemingway,
Harry's Bar is a Venice landmark and inventor of the delicious Bellini. (That's prosecco and peach puree.) However, it should also be stated that Harry's Bar is now primarily a tourist destination, which means you can
expect to pay about 15 euro for a Bellini. And if you want to eat? Be prepared to pay more than you'd pay for a pair of designer sunglasses, and my book can tell you how steep that can be. And you will be tested in Venice
if you have a weakness for shopping, as the main walkway to St. Mark's Square (and also Harry's) is crowded with ALL the Italian designer stores. But one Bellini, though pricey, isn't a bank breaker, and you can say you've been to Harry's.
|
 |
And you will most certainly enjoy the surreal sights of Venice with a Bellini buzz going.
|
 |
And how cool are Venetians? Cool enough to show off my book!
|
 |
Book enjoying a view of the Grand Canal, a vaporetto, and across the canal, the Chiesa di Santa Maria della Salute.
|
 |
As a notoriously bad picture taker, I'm considerably smitten with these next two shots, taken at sunset while riding the vaporetto.
Venice also hosts the world's oldest casino. I could only get a picture of the outside, because they're pretty strict with the
security inside. It's a fancy affair, but also pretty small. But you get a free drink.
|
 |
After the excitement of the casino and Piazza San Marco, my book decided to relax at night, not with a Bellini, but vodka.
|
 |
After the success of the sunset pictures, a casino visit, and a couple vodkas, my book and I were inspired to try for some sparkly nighttime photography. The results were much less successful.
|
 |
Much, much less successful.
|
 |
Though this picture is a typical DiPlacido disaster, it does adequately capture the elements that would bring my melancholy about being single
back to the surface. The vodkas, the full moon, the romantic setting. The scene left my book and me longing for some company.
|
 |
Luckily, we knew where to find it. La bella luna! Vive Venezia!
|
|
Even MORE pics on the following pages:
Page 1 -- Lake Como & Villa D'Este
Page 2 -- Bellagio
Page 4 -- Pompeii & Amalfi Coast
Page 5 -- Capri & Rome
Page 6 -- more Rome
|
~~ |
