Venice

Our apartment in Venice was spacious, newly refurbished and AIR CONDITIONED! Yeah!
We loved this decaying, shabby shick, smelly old city. What history and romance!
The vaporettos are everywhere on the canals. We lucked out with these seats!
Mostly we were able to walk everywhere. It is a small island! We had our first Gelato here in Venice, and tried to keep up the tradition of eating some every day! It was VERY hot and humid here, so we were just trying to keep cool : )
In front of St. Mark's and Doge's palace. We especially enjoyed the mosaics inside St. Marks plus the coffin and golden altar.
Breakfast each day was at the owner's flat a few canals away. The boys learned to enjoy the packaged, crunchy toast and Nutella. I was a little nervous about the tiny tables loaded with china! They always served a pastry and fruit too : ) Garrett managed to eat pizza every day in Italy, much to his delight.

On Rialto bridge. Garrett and Blake just purchased these Italia shirts so they can show their support when we watch the Euro2008 footbol game of Italy vs. Spain. (Unfortunately, Italy lost in overtime penalty kicks!!)
Sometimes we found some Coca Light! Lunches were usually panninis or bread, cheese and meat and fruit.
Inside Doge's Palace (the ruler of Venice)
Doge's palace also houses the prisons, after crossing over the Bridge of Sighs...

A highlight for the boys was feeding the pidgeons...

Blake started the feed-fest, but all joined in...
Look mom, even a brownie!
Garrett did this without even having food in his hands! St. Mark's square really puts on a show at night with small orchestras competing for customers. We had just gone to the top of the bell tower to watch the sunset and we got to watch these places set up in preparation for an evening of music...