Beautiful Venice

The Bridge of Sighs. Literally yards away from where we're staying. We love Venice.
So Rachael and I are now the city most heralded for its romantic atmosphere. I can tell you firsthand, Venice is charged with romantic electricity. It is wonderful here. We are staying in a beautiful hotel literally yards from the water and just behind the Doge's Palace, which we were blown away by when we visited today.

Last night, as we walked through Piazza San Marco, we witnessed only what we've read about in books while planning this trip. We saw the "dueling orchestras." Saint Mark's square has three incredible and huge restaurants. They all have about 100 tables each outside (in the square) and each restaurant has a small platform for a mini orchestra so that customers can listen to classic Italian songs. All three mini orchestras play during the same hours, hence they duel. However, it doesn't sound like mass chaos when they all play. (For Pics...click link)

We had already eaten dinner but decided to splurge and eat at Cafe Florian. It is a restaurant that has been around since 1720 and was the first cafe in the world to serve coffee. Amazing authors such as Rousseau, Goethe, Dickens, Lord Byron and others have dined here and it has also been known to be a place of secret meetings throughout it's lifetime. We sprung for Tiramisu and dessert wine under the stars as we were serenaded by a lovely orchestra with a rather handsome first violin, who quite often played directly to us (very fun). It was wonderful. Probably the most romantic and relaxing evening of our lives. We laughed so much just reminding ourselves that we were in Venice, listening to songs from the Godfather, Life is Beautiful, Vivaldi, Mozart, Sinatra and more. It was easy to see why it's so popular to make movies about this place. It's inspiring just walking around.

Tomorrow is our last full day here and then we're off to Rome on Sunday morning. We're having a blast and trying not to think about the fact that we're leaving Italy in 7 days. This has been the greatest trip ever and in one of the most beautiful and epic countries on the planet. I'm definitely coming back next year.

One more thing, as far as email goes. I really miss getting personal emails from everyone, as opposed to forwards, so keep them coming. I may not have time to reply to them all but I do really enjoy getting them. Grazie mille (thanks a million), Emily.

Us at Cafe Florian. Can you see the little orchestra behind us?

Rachael on a ponte (bridge) near our hotel. We walked and walked yesterday just finding our bearings in this new city. It's gorgeous.