April 1
Going to Venice today. We purchased our Eurostar tickets last night after dinner, by that time all the second class tickets were sold out for the early train, so we had to get first class. 78 euros for two tickets! This had better be an awesome ride!

At least the train left on time this time. The ride was about 3 hours long. First class meant we got an Italian newspaper to share and served juice and bread stick pretzels. The seats were quite comfy and lean back a few inches but it didn’t feel so special to deserve the extra 20 euros.

Venice is….breathtaking.

From the moment I stepped off the train I could see immediately how beautiful and different this city is from any other city in the world. Because of the lack of cars and scooters it’s lik the city was frozen in time. Of course the crowds are everywhere but that’s ok, we’re in Venice! Our hotel was just down the street from the station down a narrow alley.

We dropped off our stuff and went exploring with a map provided by the hotel. It only had the major streets drawn but it was good enough. Afterall, how lost can you get in Venice? For those who like to know exactly where they are at all times, street vendors were selling better, more detailed maps for 2 euros, but if you go further in the city, 1.5 euros.

We explored Venice a bit, taking side streets, narrow alleys, crossing random bridges, and tried to just get as lost as possible. By and by we came upon a small mom and pop restaurant that offered an entrée, wine or water and coffee for 8 euros. Figuring it to be a pretty decent price, we found ourselves a spot outside and ordered our food, pasta, and water. As we ate we watched people go about their daily lives and a few random dogs walking around.