Venice!!!!

Oh my gosh!!!! We have so LOVED our day in Venice today (not that the rest hasn't been fabulous as well you understand but ... Venice is ambience plus plus!!). We got the t-shirt ... and the Italian bags! Started the day with breakfast at our hotel. Our hotel manager told us to get lost in Venice so we did that with gusto wandering around the little lanes and alleys, sipping lattes in piazzas, buying Italian bags & t-shirts, and a wee bit of venezian glass. Had gelato (a daily must while in Italy) - different flavours every day, enjoyed the famous St Mark's square with its oodles of tourists and even more pigeons (which had Lyn running for cover & provided hysterics for the rest of us). Parted with more euro than you can believe eating pizza & pasta alongside a canal, sipping hot chocolates ($26 NZ) sitting looking out over the grand canal. Meryl is proving to be an absolute star in the navigation role getting us from place to place in ways that leave Delwyn & Lyn shaking their heads in awe. Thanks Meryl! Flagged the idea of a gondola ride at 100 euro a pop. I know, cheapskates us!! Better things to spend our money on like hand bags and jewellery! ... and food!!!!! Felt reluctant to leave the ambience of Venice for our hotel, but sleep must be had for these intrepid travellers!!! Leave for Rome tomorrow midday so will get the water bus back to the station (half an hour along the grand canal).