the view of la Basiclia di San Marco from our hotel room was half obscured by scaffolding, as almost all tourist landmarks usually are. i haven’t been to a big European city yet (Paris, Barcelona, London) without some sort of concealing metal framework facelift beautifying or restoring or protecting the building for future tourists.
not even the Bridge of Sighs was immune.
and yet, Venice is stunning. the haphazard labyrinth of narrow winding streets is mesmerizing and enchanting. it’s impossible to put into words how beautiful this watery city really is. as i’m sure you can imagine, i have hundreds of photos to sort through.
if you want to wait for them to load, here are just a few snapshots of our adventures…
[i felt like a James Bond blonde in this zippy water taxi from the airport]
[getting lost...]
[one of the few indoor places without NO PHOTO signs]
[Brandon was offered "good deal, good price" every time we walked by]
[you think Venice is romantic in the day? you could fall in love over and over at night]
[la Basiclia de San Marco]
[looking out over Piazza San Marco]
[getting lost again...]
[Piazza San Marco]
[on our way to the airport water bus -- sad to leave, but happy to go home]
[arrevederci!]
the best part about it is that he knows he didn’t have to take me halfway around the world…
i would have said “yes” over a Big Mac in Moose Jaw.
in fact, we’ve been planning for August 1st, 2009 since he asked my parents’ blessing at Christmas. your invite for our humble down-on-the-farm ceremony should be in the mail.
yes, i cried. and yes, i will be proudly taking his name.
————
top: does this mean we should go to The Venetian in Vegas for our honeymoon?
bottom: our first wedding present from Brandon’s parents.
our hotel room has scented toilet paper.
what better way to be introduced to the decadent luxury of one of the most expensive cities in the world? even the smallest details are given undivided attention.
from the slick young Italian man that greeted us at the airport dressed in red and black, to the busy bald waiter who seems to own an endless number of perfectly pressed tuxedos, the Hotel Concordia has treated us like royalty since we arrived. black Mercedes with leather seats. bottles of sparkling Italian wine. private teak-sided water taxis that make you feel like a James Bond jet-setter.
we would recommend the service and style of the Hotel Concordia to anyone looking for an especially memorable Italian holiday. not sure how Brandon found this place, but it really is a bright gem right in the heart of this bustling city.
in fact, i don’t think pizza or spaghetti are even native to Venice. we read in our little Lonely Planet guide (purchased for $12.99 on a last-minute oh-maybe-we-need-that whim in Denver) that we should strive to avoid restaurants brightly advertising PIZZE & PASTA too loudly in their window.
great advice.
instead, we wandered through winding streets and ducked into hard-to-find places that were out-of-the-way and filled with authentic Italian accents.
we indulged in the Hotel Concordia restaurant for an amazing 5-course tasting meal on our first night. after losing sleep with concern that he wouldn’t like the food, Brandon bravely tried thinly raw beef (carpaccio) for the first time. not sure how many folks from Nebraska can say they’ve done that.
from that moment forward, we took the waiters’ suggestions on just about everything from appetizer to wine to dessert and have yet to be disappointed. the food is GOOD.
our two other recommendations are:
Cava Tappi – Camp della Guerra
Trattoria da Ignazio – Calle Saoneri
in love in Venezia. in love with Venezia.
back soon…
