2015 ITALY Venice 41 - Sleeping In

The next morning we got a late start because we could actually sleep in--no alarm, no tour, no group, no plane or train to catch. It was heaven! We got up casually just in time to catch the tail end of a light, but wonderful breakfast.

We started walking toward our two goals today--the Rialto bridge and San Marco Square. The first stop, however, was the fish and produce market, as it was on our way. It was fabulous!! I only wished I had a kitchen, so I could buy and try some of these wonderful items.

There were fresh fish and meat vendors, untold numbers of fruits and veggies (some that we had never seen before). There were carciofi artichokes, one of my absolute favs), peppers, flowers, packaged pre-mixed risotto combos, candies, you name it. Here is a small sampling and just looking at these photos is making my mouth water.

Huge variety of fish, mussels, shrimp, crab, anchovies, scallops ...

Eel. Sorry gourmands, but eeeehhhhwww!

Sun-dried tomatoes and soup mixes. 

To read more about castraure (or "castrated" artichokes, go to: http://www.libaliano.com/2010/03/castraure-castrated-artichoke.html#.V_05N6OZNUM

Late red radicchio from Treviso.

Spices.
Risotto and soup mixes.

There was also a seed vendor and we bought some packets of Genovese basil seeds to take home for gifts. Later a friend brought a sample of the grown basil. It was the best ... much healthier looking and better tasting than any we had ever had before.

After that mouth-watering adventure, we continued on toward the Rialto bridge. Of course we crossed a number of canals. We had debated on whether or not to take a gondola cruise, but after seeing the hoards of packed gondolas we decided to pass.

Look at the "side-swiping" and line up in this second photo. It was a waterway traffic jam, just like the roadways and bridges of New York City at rush hour. And no romantic O Sole Mios being sung.

Maybe it was just the wrong time of day or maybe we just had food on our mind from just being at the market, but decided we would rather eat an extra seafood meal rather than experience this waterway tourist event.

Later that day we saw this wood constructed "Chris craft" type speed boat. It was like a blast from the past and you know Mike's need for speed. He said he would rather take a ride on one of these than be in a crowded gondola traffic jam any day.

The Rialto bridge was only a few blocks away. We just got swept along by the crowd and ended up in the right place. This shot is taken from the top step of the Rialto bridge. It looks down the bridge entry stairway and into the shopping lane leading up to it. There were many gold dealers (simulating the Ponte Vecchio in Florence), along with food vendors and souvenir shops.

The bridge was under construction, so we did not get a great photo. This shows half the real bridge on the right and a painted canvas on the left with construction going on behind it. On the opposite side of the bridge was a big Monte Blanc ad (Mike just loves those pens and we have a few Monte Blanc pens and mechanical pencils at home). Anyway, I think you get the idea of this compared to the Ponte Vecchio. Both stunning in their own unique ways.

This is a close-up of the outside of the bridge. Here you see the back of the stores. Store fronts face into the enclosed structure. Usually, I think you can walk across the bridge on this outside stairway without passing by the interior stores.

Today you could only walk half-way because of the construction. The white "peak" at the top is the center of the bridge with an archway leading into the interior line-up of covered stores. Of course, you can also enter the interior from either end of the bridge. Inside were high end clothing, leather, and jewelry shops, a Ferrari store, and souvenirs.

With our much-needed map we now headed to San Marco Square, our second major point of interest for the day. There are marker signs on buildings leading to the main attractions. But with all the curvy streets and hidden alley ways, we were not exactly crystal clear on directions even with the map and signs.

When we stumbled across on entrance to the square, we were stopped by high tide flooding. People were walking in the piazza on elevated walkways, just like you see on TV. The water was almost touching there feet. This is a regular occurrence depending on just how high the high tide reaches on any given day.

Mike did not want to wade through, but I had cloth shoes on that would dry eventually, so I ventured out into the square a bit. Restaurants were open, but had few diners. Waiters sloshed around in knee-high rubber boots.

The further you got into the square, the deeper the water. We would try again tomorrow.