Venice

 

Venice is a small town (city?) with so many fascinating things to see. Historically, it was the capital of an independent nation. The Republic of Venice was a major maritime power during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, and a staging area for the Crusades and the Battle of Lepanto, as well as a very important center of commerce (especially silk, grain and spice trade) and art in the 13th century up to the end of the 17th century. This made Venice an extremely wealthy city throughout most of its history. It is also known for its several considerable artistic achievements and is home to famous musician Antonio Vivaldi and explorer Marco Polo.

Back when it was its own country, it's leader - the Doge - lived in this magnificent palace:

It even had its own jail:

There is no automobile traffic in Venice because the entire city is built on water.  So the only way to get around is on foot through these narrow paths,

or by boat.  Right to the doorstep:

No cars meant the city was unusually quiet and we really enjoyed that.  Combined with the beautiful water ways and exquisite architecture, it was the perfect setting for romantic dinners in outdoor cafes and long walks.  Is this getting too mushy?  Well, Venice is often called "the most romantic city in Europe."

Where the sidewalk ends:

The water might look inviting, but we learned (via our handy tour book on the train) that Venice does not have a modern sewer system.  They still dump all their waste into the water.  (So we didn't go swimming).

At Piazza San Marco we explored the basilica... and dodged pigeons in the square (wretched creatures!).

What can I say?

We had seen a lot of naked statues after a week of touring museums in Italy. We were tired. We got a bit silly...

Cooking Class

We took a cooking class in Florence one evening.  Our instructor, Roberto, was amazing.  He spoke fluent English and was a great teacher.  We learned all kinds of new things from peeling artichokes correctly, using knives properly, making basic sauces and cooking with wine. 

We were divided into small groups and worked under Roberto's supervision.  Everyone got to participate and at the end we got to sit down to an exquisite 4-course meal.

We were paired with another couple - Justin and Jenny - newlyweds from North Carolina. We told them we were in Italy celebrating our 10-year anniversary. But nobody in the room believed we were old enough to have been married that long...

Our experienced cooking skills convinced them otherwise. (Haha!)

Roberto:

Vegetable Souffle (starter):

Crespelle al Forno with Bechamel Sauce:

Chicken Aretina in a white wine sauce:

Dessert: panna cotta with strawberry sauce.

A really fun way to spend 4 hours on a beautiful evening in Tuscany... and some great recipes to take home.

Florence

Florence was amazing.  We arrived in the evening - in the pouring rain - checked into our cute B&B, and then had a lovely dinner. I know that food is becoming a theme here, but you can't experience Italy without indulging in their premier cuisine! Below is one of our favourite appetizers: caprese. 

 

Florence is a beautiful city with elegant architecture, picturesque scenery and extravagance on every corner.  Gucci, Prada, Versace, etc. are all here, tucked along the cosy cobblestone pedestrain streets.

We spent a fair amount of time exploring the outdoor market.  Lots of leather and silk.

Then we did some window shopping.

Would have loved to pick something out at this dress shop for my little girls...

But 38 Euros for baby shoes?

How about some candy?

This shop offered sweets at the bargain rate of 12 Euros per 100 grams... It's either darn tasty or made of gold.  Either way, we weren't feeling rich enough to find out.

Then there was the local discounter.  The Florentine version of The Dollar Store.

Translation: Everything 150 & 170 Euros.

The cathedral was free.

Marble walls, marble floors, massive marble pillars...

All that time spent inside a place of worship left us wondering deep thoughts...

Like, does Florentine gelato taste better than the Roman stuff?  We had to find out...

Ponte Vecchio - one of the most famous landmarks of Florence.

The Ponte Vecchio ("Old Bridge") is a Medieval bridge over the Arno River, noted for still having shops built along it, as was once common. Butchers initially occupied the shops; the present tenants are jewelers and art dealers. The bridge dates from the year 996; though it was apparently washed out in a flood in 1333 and then rebuilt in 1345.  The back shops (propped up on the outside of the bridge with wooden planks) were added in the 17th century.

The shops on the bridge:

New ring! Is Matt  trying to bribe me into staying on for another 10 years??? (It's working...)

At the end of the day, they close up shop by locking the jewelry away in vaults and bolting the windows closed with these wooden doors.

The next morning we visited the Galleria dell'Accademia which is best known for Michaelangelo's David:

(sorry folks, for the un-edited version, you'll have to go to Florence yourselves...)

Whilst most people go to the Accademia expressly to see David, I had a much more meaningful experience in the nearby Medici Gallery of Musical Instruments where I beheld - with mine own eyes - several authentic Stradivari and Amati strings (violin, viola, cello) as well as a Cristofori piano. 

It's not permitted to take photographs inside the musical instrument exhibit, so I purchased a book which I am happy to share and talk about endlessly...  In the meantime, here is a web pic of the Stradivarius tenor viola, just to whet your appetite: