X’s and O’s in Verona & Venice

Today we cruised up the Adriatic Sea to Verona. I got romantic and stood under one of the world’s most famous shrines to love, Juliet’s balcony from Romeo and Juliet. Apparently, grabbing her boob is good luck. So, we all took turns getting our photos taken grabbing her breast. After that I visited the Love Letter wall and had a customized apron made for my mom before heading onward to Venice.

Venice is packed with character, crammed with hidden lanes and linked by a network of canals. We traveled on our private boat through the waters of the lagoon to visit the city’s historical heart. The Limestone Bridge of Sighs, the Gothic arches of the Doge’s Palace and the expanse of St. Mark’s Square (pigeons and all!) show off Venice’s unique beauty and way of life.

We took lots of time to explore the floating city and lost ourselves in the backstreets. We opted for a walking tour where we discovered the labyrinth of interweaving lanes, waterways, palaces, piazzas and markets. We grabbed a table on St. Mark’s Square and ate some delicious Italian food al fresco. To this day I still wish I brought a quill back home with me. They were everywhere in Venice! How cool would that be to have a quill sitting on my desk at work? They were really colourful with tall feathers and everything. Sigh. I want a quill. Dammit.

I capped the day off in Venice with a gondola ride! Seeing Venice from on the water was unforgettable. I wish that the guy steering our boat was a little livelier, though. He was very quiet. I heard other gondola guys singing grandly to their passengers! So, needless to say I was very jealous that our guy didn’t sing and others did. But I still loved the scenery and took some amazing photos that I have framed at home today.

Venice, Italy