Aspects of Venice

There are many photos here I couldn't pick just a few so Ill keep the writing mostly here and captions by some photos.  Many years a go my brother and I spent a summer doing the post college summer trek.  I recall Venice and almost skipped it for sights previously unseen.  Let's just say I am so glad I went back. I must say I am thoroughly enchanted by Venice.  It was cold, I mean COLD.  I wore my long johns and wool pants and it was still COLD.  I went with a few classmates from culinary school.  We rented a great apartment well located to everything we wanted to see.  Six adults sharing one bath, we did pretty darn good.  These photos are in no particular order and are taken on my phone as I still have not fixed my "good" camera.  I think the little Blackberry is doing pretty well considering.

Canals and more canals. This place is a maze of canals.  ( I am speaking as if no one has been here just to help my descriptive process flow, I do not mean to insult anyone who has)  Per usual my traveling companion of three months and I wandered out without a plan or map and as usual discovered beauty and excitement around each turn.  We feel we should write a guide how to get lost in Italy and see everything anyway.  

Strange but typical- a quick post

For some reason there is a german family camped in the hall outside of my hotel room with all of their belongings and two young children spread all over the hallway crumpling piles of plastic bags for the past hour.  I had the opportunity to change rooms today as the original room I booked wasn't ready yesterday.  I decided to stay in this room because it was quite... go figure.  I have had a strange Karma with rooms for the past few years.  (up until now...)  if there was a banging door Ill be next to or above it, a fighting couple , jumping children on my ceiling, a party or elevator dinging... Don't know why, wish it would stop.  Maybe when I get to the point I can laugh every time it happens it will stop.  Today I am laughing and wondering... but as I had hoped for a nap, not going to happen... they are literally leaning on the wall of my room.. Im in a nice hotel too.  I'm making an assumption they are either awaiting entry to their room, lost their keys, are too hot to go out or are catching a late flight.  they did not want my help so...

But for today all I know is that I have A/C a terrifically comfortable bed and equally comfortable pillows for the first time in 3 months, I am no longer freezing my tucas off without hot water in a dumpy hotel in Calabria. It is a good day. :) My wish is for everyone to have a good day too.
 this is what my nice room looks like.. its a good day

Valentine's Day in Venice

This is a candy store window is so beautiful it deserves a large photo.

This one too wow

 Next, after a grand time wandering the streets of Venice on Valentine's day eve we enjoyed two apperativo places. Aperativo- A type of happy hour pay a price for a drink and eat from a buffet of various items such as pasta, crostini ( toasted bread with toppings), cheeses vegetables.  Our first stop was a place we visited the night before.  Standing room only and by the piece priced crostini. Topped with Baccala Montecato ( salt cured / dried cod reconstituted in milk and whipped up with cream / olive oil and parsley- like a chunky very rich mousse: cheese and onion or peperoncino marmalata, various prosciutto, sardines and anchovies.  We sang along with gondoliers to Italian classics and laughed.  So fun we went two nights in a row.

The headed to another restaurant on a hidden canal and dock near the grad canal.  The fist live music played here was a piper and drum trio.  We had bumped onto this trio 3 other times that day.  It was fun and lively and a reason to enjoy a second Aperativo.