Kelly Trips and Tours

Today we left Venice and started our homeward trip.  We were glad that our flight was later in the morning so we could enjoy one more breakfast in our beautiful garden patio. Our water taxi met us at our B&B this morning at 8:50 am to transport us to Marco Polo, Venezia airport. The water door opens from the lobby onto a small canal which made it very easy to enter the taxi. Then off we went saying good-bye to Venice...but not without a few last minute photos. Once we reached the airport, we had a van waiting to take us the .2-miles to the terminal. In the past we walked it but since they are doing construction, which we found out when we arrived, we knew it was a long walk and not fun dragging bags when it's 80 degrees and humid. So yesterday Carla arranged for a water taxi/van combo which was perfect. After reaching the Frankfurt airport at noon, we said good-bye to Mike and Carla before they boarded their flight to San Francisco while we headed to the Airpo...

We were happy to have a leisurely late breakfast this morning. After breakfast we got together to discuss what we might want to do on our last day here in Venice...and today Karen decided that Vicki had not done enough shopping on this trip so that situation had to be rectified. While the Colacito's went shopping and exploring on their own, Kellys and Greens hopped on the Vaporetto to visit the main shopping area near the Rialto Bridge.  It was a bit crowded but we managed to find a nice glass shop full of Murano glass and we started getting the credit cards warmed up. After cleaning out our wallets (Bill & Rics), Karen and Vicki were all smiles. Next on our agenda was lunch, so we headed back to our local neighborhood where there would be peace, quiet, and no crowds. The pizzas, sidewalk dining and scenery were fabulous! We also stepped into a small, one man wood shop across from our B&B where the girls 'cleaned' out our wallets for the final time...

We woke up to another beautiful warm morning in Venice with nothing special planned-just enjoying the city.  After our wonderful breakfast - did we mention the fresh croissants filled with apricot jam - we discussed options. The Kellys and Colacitos decided to take the Vaporetto to the outlying island of Burano while the Greens hung around the lovely neighborhood of the hotel.  The Vaporetto trip was about 50 minutes and a lot of people were going to Burano on this beautiful Sunday summer day. When we arrived, we enjoyed seeing brightly colored houses that were origionally painted so fishermen could spot their houses from a distance when coming home. We broused a few shops and then had to decide where to have lunch. We were undecided between a place we ate at many years ago when we were on Burano or a family owned place that was recommended to us by a shop keeper.  We chose the family owned place and really liked it. Then a little more shopping ...

Saturday, June 27th and another beautiful 80-degree day enjoying the city of Venezia (Venice) where the streets are waterways and sidewalks are cobblestone. The outside of our building, address 1988 doesn't look like much, but the interior is great (our room is across the hall from Green's). The garden view from our room is quite nice as is the garden in the main building where we enjoy an Italian breakfast daily. After breakfast we took the Vaporetto (water bus) to San Marco Square. Everywhere you look is a postcard. Here comes our bus. As we reach San Marco Square, you can see the bell tower and below, the Bridge of Sighs where we'll start our morning tour of the Doge's Palace just to the left. Ric waiting for the tour to start. It was a good thing we reserved tickets online as the ticket line was very long. The Doge's Palace is very large and was used as a prison in medievel times as well as adminstrative offices, court room...