Married 10 Years! Celebrating in Venice!

Ryan loves it when I blog our travels. I'm woefully behind, but as a belated anniversary gift I told myself I'd chronicle this trip Ryan planned for our tenth wedding anniversary this past weekend.

Ryan likes ambiance. There's scores of romantic, beautiful places in Europe, but Venice tops many lists and that's where Ryan took me to celebrate, plus a little stowaway, Jake. We had a great time despite Ryan coming down with a high fever and horrible headache he couldn't kick for the last half of our getaway. This is actually our third time in Venice and I have to be honest, I wasn't super thrilled to be going back at first. But a getaway is a getaway, so away we went!

Back in 2009 on our first big European adventure with the kids, we stopped in Venice on a whim at the tail end of a week in Italy with the kids where we crammed in the big sights of Florence, Rome, and Pisa too. Needless to say, all those cute little bridges over scenic canals were not my favorite when tromping over them with a gangly double stroller and tired little kids (ages 5, 3, and 6 months). Our second stop in Venice was at the tail end of a whirlwind trip with my parents and that went better, but it was so quick I really didn't see much except some great blown glass in Murano and exquisite handmade lace linens on Burano with my mom. This time, however, I was determined to give Venice a fair shake even though it would be crowded with tourists. It was the last big weekend of European summer vacation plus Labor Day weekend for all us Americans. Venice is a one hour flight from Stuttgart, or a few hours by train, or just six hours by car I believe.

How do you do, Venice? With the views we enjoyed, I can honestly say I'm glad to see you again!

View from the Rialto Bridge over the Grand Canal.

10 years together! I love my Cute Boy!

If you can see the price tag, it reads 7,50 euros for ONE box of mix! That's about $10!

San Marco Plaza, love the dueling five piece orchestras!!!
I could seriously sit and listen to them with a good book all day long anytime!

Someone is getting tired of being ignored and rolled through museums.
Just after the Correr Museum of Venetian history and art.

Man I love kissing on this sweet little guy!
Thank you Ryan for catching these cute shots! 

One of my favorite faces he makes a lot when watching something interesting or being surprised.
Even cuter when his mouth makes a perfect little O.
I recently discovered he inherited it from his Grandpa Nelson! So fun!

Dad can make him downright silly and it's so fun! Ryan is such a great dad!!!
Jake is quickly starting to prefer Ryan to me sometimes but I still get some moments!

We stayed at a lovely B&B called Campiello Zen. LOVED IT, can't recommend it enough!!! They let us know that the Historical Regatta was happening on Sunday. Although Ryan came down with a very high fever and debilitating headache late Saturday night, he just couldn't miss the pageantry and race before heading back to bed. It was worth it!

We could hear the trumpets on the lead boat long before we got to see the parade of boats before the race. 

The lead boat had a tough time with the current right in front of us.
Boats that strayed too much toward us had a tough time not hitting these docked boats. 

Many boats were dressed in historical garb from Venice's hey day in the 1500s.
But some were just teams there to compete in the regatta races, like these gals decked out in pink!

Don't forget the peasant farmers from the North in their dirndls and lederhosen who brought their harvest bounty! 

Time to head back to where the races will be held.
Great that the sun came out to show how colorful it all was!

I loved the charging horses on this one!

Jake enjoyed the spectacle but was even happier to play peek-a-boo!
Italians, Germans, and Asians we came across on this trip, however, all say "cuckoo" instead!

One of the great things about the B&B we stayed at was it's view into what life is like living in Venice. A short walk from the place is a quiet neighborhood plaza with most of the amenities you need - grocery store, a few restaurants, pharmacies, bank, and so forth. Our first day there we bought stuff for a picnic lunch to enjoy in the plaza to tide us over until dinner - bread, a pecorino cheese chunk, fresh tomato, grapes, some chips, M&Ms, water, and juice. We also set Jake free to wander and chase his very first pigeons! He loved the freedom and it was such a safe, quiet place with locals milling about.

In this same plaza this weekend, the local Communist party here throws a neighborhood celebration each year. It was more like a German fest minus the handful of disjointed political booths. This fun clown had kids rolling with laughter! The signs at the booth behind the clown talk about protesting cruise ships docking in Venice's lagoon.

Ryan had to head back to our place because his head was spinning. Jake and I took our time heading back. I love watching him walk around like he owns the world. And I get such a kick out of seeing people's reactions to him!

Since Ryan still wasn't feeling well today, I set out on my own for a couple hours while he and Jake napped. I got myself to the water bus stand (minus a handful of wrong turns) and hopped on the Grand Canal slow boat #1, plugged into my iPod where I'd downloaded a Rick Steves podcast travel guide, and enjoyed listening to him tell me what to watch out for on my way toward San Marco.

I still have yet to see the inside of San Marco's Bascillica or the Doge's Palace! I couldn't brave the horrendous lines this time and forfeit time to meander, shop and eat gelato. If you ever come across a Grom gelateria (like in NYC), try their dark chocolate fondente! You'll thank me later!

All too soon, it was time to load up and head home. Jake was worn out, Ryan was trying to hold it together with only slight relief from his symptoms, and I bemoaned forgetting our good camera's charger such that all these shots are from the dinky iPhone camera. Oh well, at least it captured some great times celebrating ten great adventurous years with my best friend! I love you, Ryan!

Leaving beloved Florence for Venice

We did half a day in Florence before heading for Venice "on our way home." We indulged in all sorts of yummy treats this final day. I'd wanted to try one of these sweet smelling waffles and it was DIVINE! Such a mess and Ryan devoured most of it! We got ours with lots of whipping cream and chocolate sauce. Easton didn't like it but he was determined to have more gelato. Venice is gelato heaven!

We also loved all the candy store window displays. How fun to see them ready for Easter!

We had to stop by the wild boar statue to rub his nose and give him a coin to ensure our return to Florence. It was odd to see this cloister behind him teeming with vendors when the night before we'd seen it empty except for a lone violinist serenading little couples sitting randomly on the steps.

Loved these art students' doing chalk renderings of masterpieces on the sidewalks!

A rare moment of peace from the gal buckled in.

She didn't particularly like the drive to Venice.

We arrived in Venice around 8pm starving. We didn't last long wandering for food in the winding alleys of this odd floating city. Venice specializes in decorative masks.

Rome - Day 2

Saturday had us up early as we began the day with the Monuments Tour. If you go to Rome, this tour could definitely be skipped and done on your own with a good map and downloadable audio guides! It did take us back to Trevi Fountain and Pantheon from the day before so we got some nice shots. McKay couldn't be torn from these free flowing fountains on the steps facing Trevi Fountain.



Ryan and I both found the Pantheon to be one of our favorites in Rome, built in 126 AD! It is amazing!






When we got on the tour bus that morning, there was another young family with a 7 month old baby girl and they also had a 3 yr old son. This family had met up in Rome with the guy's parents, brother and sister-in-law for a little family reunion. The young family currently lives in India where he's an Intel processor distributor and they're also doing mission work. They were such a nice group and it helped tone down my irritation for our lame tour. Our guide was also translating for a German family and Spanish family so not only was I not really awed by a few of the monuments on the tour , but she gave such limited information that I needed distraction. Here's the impressive Vatican complex with St Peter's Bascillica at the end of our Monuments tour. Keeping tabs on McKay chasing birds as we waited half an hour in line just about put me over the edge! I sure am glad we chose to make this trip right before the real tourist season begins!




Easton would often pass time by playing with Morgan. She gets such a kick out of him!
Michelangelo's Pieta


Once we parted from this tour, we had to grab lunch before our Vatican - Sistine Chapel tour. Not a stellar meal, but nice to sit and have down time before the big one. I really had to wonder how the boys were going to do for two hours in a museum and on to Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel. Turns out they did pretty darn good! During the long initial spiel the guide gave, all three kids did go a bit crazy, but once the walking began there seemed to be enough movement going from room to room that they were easily pacified. In fact, many of the rooms had these tall box stands that explained each wall's frescoes, tapestries, or other art and the boys thought this was their own designated cubby seat. Worked great for me! So much to see, so little time! The tapestries of the Slaughter of Innocents by Raphael's school really unnerved me and it still bothers me that such phenomenal talent, time and effort went toward portraying such horror. The artistry was so good that after looking at the second tapestry I was so horrified by the scenes, I couldn't handle looking at was at least 20 more down the corridor. As a mother carrying my little girl, I just couldn't bear the sight.

The Sistine Chapel did not disappoint. Wish I'd brought binoculars. Wish I could have had a whole day at least to just sit there and look it over. Incredible!!!

After the tour was done we feared impending rain and had to get back to the hotel to pick up our bag, eat, and be back on the train to Florence at 7:30. We passed time sadly at a McDonalds across from the train station but we were happy with all we'd taken in. The train ride was actually one of my favorite memories. We got to sit together facing each other with a table in between us. Ryan had the boys completely entertained as he taught them how to play Rock Paper Scissors, thumb wars, and his coin tricks from the mission. Man, I love this man! When Ryan busted out his coin trick and asked where the missing coin was, Easton screamed "In McKay's ear!" while enthusiastically checking his own. The coin was actually still hidden in Ryan's hand, but the boys were convinced it was going to fall out of one of their ears the entire time. At one point, Easton even asked how he could make money come out of his ear now that he knows what money is good for. There was a cute old Italian man across the way quietly finding great joy in watching our spectacle of a show. I enjoyed watching him watching us almost as much as I loved seeing and hearing my boys having the greatest time with their dad. It was one of those times I realized how much modern conveniences like the portable dvd player rob us of making memories with our kids.

We got back to Florence and decided to hoof it back to our apartment in the sporatic drizzle, wishing we'd brought our map to take us in a more direct route than our memories provided. Easton has become quite the asker of all questions and this long walk home had him fixated on the characters and superpowers of Disney's Incredibles. We sure were glad to be back in our apartment assured of rain the entire next day limiting our ventures out. I did laundry, read, began my write-ups of our adventures and just enjoyed a day in with the family. We got out for dinner and enjoyed the quiet night lights of the city - what an intoxicating place Florence is!