Adriatic Cruise – Venice, Italy

Our second visit to Venice started very wet.  Steady rain fell as we disembarked the ship and walked to the shuttle train that took us from the port area to the Piazzale Roma (where we boarded our bus to the airport on our last visit).  We crossed various canals – stopping occasionally to photograph the art, architecture, and scenery – as we followed our map towards Campo San Polo, where we checked to see if our favorite restaurant, Birraria La Corta, would be open for lunch. 
Crossing a quiet canal:

Chiesa di San Moise:

Modern art exhibition:

After checking the opening times for lunch, we walked through the city, took a gondola across the Grand Canal, and made our way to Piazza San Marco.  When we arrived, we were surprised to see the “acqua alta”, the seasonal flooding that affects Venice at this time of year.  After crossing the water on raised wooden walkways, we strolled through the Correr Museum, viewing artifacts that have been preserved and learning more of the history of Venice.
Flooding and raised walkways in Piazza San Marco:

Correr Museum:

Then, with the flood tide receding, we splashed across the square and entered the Doge’s Palace, an immense structure that was connected to St Mark’s Basilica.  We saw beautiful apartments and meeting rooms where the elite of Venice once gathered and held daily business.  Around every corner was magnificent architecture that, thanks to Rick Steves and his guide book, we were able to find the name of and a brief description of its significance.
Entrance of the Doge's Palace:

Doge's Palace courtyard:

Ancient "tetrarchs" statue, which the Venetian Empire looted from Constantinople:

Us in the Doge's Palace:

We made our way back across the Rialto Bridge and towards the restaurant for lunch.  We enjoyed two orders of lasagna, followed by fresh specialty gelato, before we had to go back to the ship for the evening.  Venice was once again a joy to visit.  The rain stopped about halfway through the day, making for a pleasant afternoon.  The temperature was near perfect, a major difference from the August heat that we experienced prior.  No matter the weather, Venice was still a highlight of our time in Italy.
The Rialto Bridge and Grand Canal:

Enjoying our amazing lasagna!:

~Blake