Back to Italy - Venice and Rome

After our cruise ended, we headed to Venice Italy. I have been to Venice before, but nobody else in the group had ever been. The airport is on the mainland, so the only way to your hotel once you land in Venice is to take a speedboat. We had a private boat set up, and made our way through the canals to our hotel – in Venice, everything is awesome – even the Uber ride from the airport!

Almost the first thing we did after dropping our bags off was to head out looking for pizza. Pretty much every direction we walked found us both small and large local restaurants. We particularly wanted to be outside on such a nice day, and we didn’t really have to wait that long before we stumbled into a good-sized square with tables everywhere. We picked the one with the best view of the square, and had some of the best pizza ever. A glass of vino might have accompanied.

We did all the touristy things in Venice – toured the Doges Palace, walked St. Marks Square, toured St. Peter’s Basilica, and of course, walked into pretty much every church we happened to walk past. We got a private guided boat tour of the Grand Canal, as well as a bunch of the side canals, which gave us a good orientation so we could come back on foot to explore further.

After touring the Doges Palace, we got a unique opportunity to walk across the famous Bridge of Sighs and tour the ancient Roman prison. This bridge got its name because it connected the Doges Palace where judges held court to the prison, across the canal. When people were convicted by a judge, they were escorted immediately across the Bridge of Sighs and placed into their cell. Locals in the day claimed you could hear the sighing as the convicts crossed.

Of course, no trip to Venice could be considered complete unless you went on a gondola. Rather than stand in the long lines at the more popular tourist spots, we looked around until we found one off the beaten path, and it was great. In the background you can see we are about to pass under the Rialto Bridge, a walking bridge completely covered with two rows of enclosed shops – cool!

Nick had warned us about his plan to ask Valerie to marry him while he was in Venice. While we had hoped that he might pop the question on our romantic gondola ride, he actually wanted it to be a bit more private, without parents and siblings gawking. While we didn’t actually witness the deed, we soon learned she said “Yes”, so all was good.

While we would have liked some more time in Venice, we had to board the train to take us to Rome. While I, again, have used trains to travel in Europe before, none of the rest of us had. The experience was nice, and watching the Italian countryside roll by our windows was pleasant. Although we had to manage our own luggage on and off the train, it was great fun.

In Rome, we managed to do all the stuff you should do there. We visited the Roman Forum and saw all the ancient ruins that date back to before the time of Christ. We toured so many museums with Roman artifacts that it would make your head spin. But our most memorable times were the visits that we made to Roman ruins you could actually walk inside, as though you were there to watch the lions and gladiators go at it. The Coliseum was spectacular!

We went to the Pantheon, which because of its nearly continuous use since it was constructed shortly after Christ walked the earth, may be the best preserved of all ancient Roman buildings. While efforts to maintain it must be constant, there is really no evidence of structural changes to this building as a means of preserving it. It was just that well-built, I guess. The dates everywhere on the building and inside are of course all in Roman Numerals.

One of our treats was a pizza making class. We were taken to a special part of a local restaurant specializing in pizza, and the main chef was there to guide us. After a demonstration of the process, we all were challenged with making our own pizza. Once done making it, each of our creations was gently placed in the brick ovens, and we cooked them to just the recommended doneness.

After each of us hand made a pizza, we actually got to eat the exact pizza that we had made. And I have to admit, all 6 of us are really good cooks! While I can’t remember who of the 6 of us made this exact pizza, I can remember for certain that it didn’t last long in this condition. All 6 pizzas were totally devoured.

We visited the Vatican – an independent city housed in the center of Rome, that is actually not Italian land – it belongs to the Church. We visited the Sistine Chapel, and spent some time wondering at the ceiling, painted by Michelangelo in the early 1500’s. While you stand 50 feet below it, its scale is such that you feel like you are just in touching distance. We got special insight into the artist as well as the things that were going on at that time in Italy and the World, much of it depicted in the artwork.

We got to see where the Cardinals gather to elect a new Pope in the Chapel. We even got to see the stove where the ballots are burned after a vote – black smoke from the stovepipe indicating that no consensus had been reached, white smoke meaning a new Pope had been agreed upon. We even got to walk out on the balcony where the Pope speaks to the people amassed in St. Peter’s Square. It was pretty inspiring.

We even got a chance to brush shoulders – well almost – with the famous Swiss Guard who protect the Pope and Vatican City. As you can see, I am being reminded that photos of the Swiss Guard are strictly prohibited.

Our time together in the Netherlands and Italy being almost over, we had one last going away dinner, after which Nick, Val, Karen and Berto would be leaving us. While it was a sad time, it also capped a wonderful week and a half that we wouldn’t trade anything for. Of course, the Woman and I stayed in Rome. I guess the workin stiffs had to get back to work!

Talk to you soon.