The Grand Entrance Into Venice, Italy

Yesterday we entered Venice like a princess at the Ambassador's Ball sweeping down the grand staircase in her billowing ball gown. It was a sensation unlike any other to be 14 floors up--150 feet in the air--gliding down the waterway, being able to see all angles of the city from the towering height and seeing the tourists lining the canals turn to look and wave. Later, we were in St. Mark's Square when the Princess cruise ship passed by and it was a remarkable sight to see such an monstrous, modern floating hotel pass the ancient colonnaded buildings of Venezia.

We went to the Peggy Guggenheim Museum with modern art from the 20's-50's yesterday and ate dinner at La Sempione--the same restaurant that wowed us with their lasagna four years ago. Unfortunately, the meal was ungodly expensive and not at all tasty, but we had the most beautiful table overlooking a window box of flowers, a arch framed with a grape arbor, and an open window overlooking the canal where gondoliers were plying their trade. We also rode the elevator up one of the towers in St. Mark's just as the last golden light was slanting across the city, providing a breathtaking vista.

This morning, we had front row seats in the ferry. We sat in the bow and watched as the Grand Canal opened up before us, the majestic old residences revealing glimpses of rich interiors, gondoliers polishing their boats in preparation for a busy day, myriad boats of all sizes laden with goods to replenish the stores and restaurants along the water and a postman with his boat full of mail.

We marveled at room after room of monumental Renaissance and 16th and 17th century paintings in the Academy Gallery, then reluctantly turned back for the boat. I half wanted to miss the boat and be forced to stay in Venice a few days longer, but no, we are onboard, passing the outlying islands on our way back to the blue Mediterranean and Kotor, Montenegro.