Horsemeat

I suppose I should hope that few people see this post. Today Carmen and I ate horsemeat. When in Venice, do as. .. Etc. Chewy and very red, with mushrooms.
I also finally was able to get Carmen into a museum, the Accademia: Titian, Veronese, and Bellini. Tons of fun.

Venice Food Tour

Cicchetti: that's the name of Venetian style small plates. I could say tapas but then I'd be mixing up countries. Today we went on a fabulous, fascinating, and fattening tour of the Rialto market in Venice, all through Walks of Italy
http://www.walksofitaly.com/
Mosè, our guide explained something of the history of Venice while we ate, and drank our way from place to place, tasting ham, cheese, salami....that was just the first stop. There were two more and a coffee shop.
A great day, followed by Carmen and I "accidentally" getting ahead of the very long line to get into the Basilica. The Basilica was ethereal,  or maybe it was all that wine we had drunk.

The Vaporetti

Today began our commute on the #1 line, making all local stops along the Grand Canal. Before that, Carmen and I were catching the traghetti, which is not related to spaghetti. It's a gondola that just takes you back and forth across the Canal, full of customers and rocking madly. The locals ride standing up but Carmen and I wisely sat on the sides of the boat.
The Vaporetti at end of day was like the L line in NY. but with much better views, as you can see.

Flooding in the Square

We arrived in Piazza San Marco today to this scene: tourist waiting in line to enter the church, standing on ramps because of some flooding in the Square. But by early afternoon the waters had spread to the point where Carmen and I had to rush to the very end of the Square to beat the ever rising waters. We found a sliver of dry pavement and made our escape. No cappuccinos in the Square today!

Our First Walk in Venice

The first thing we did was get lost, not hard to do when two oldsters are jet lagged. Watery streets and rich colors. Too tired to write or even think except to say that Venice, on our evening passiagiato was not crowded or so touristy at all. Actually sort of tranquil!

Carmen

Close Up

My traveling companion for this up-coming trip is my sister Carmen. When I was in San Francisco a few years ago, we went to see a very artistic photography show that featured these kind of black and white close ups. So I decided to try and do one when we left the show. This is a close up of Carmen's eye. If you look carefully, you can figure out what San Francisco street we are on!
Just kidding. All wrinkles have been digitally added.

There Will Always Be Paree

Apartment on the Rue des Pyramides

A trip I took a couple of years ago. Everyone has to go to Paris, right? This was the place  I stayed on the Rue Des Pyramides. I'm looking out from the elevator at the courtyard. So cute. SO SMALL. So small that the toilet was in the hallway. But at least it was mine alone. With the Louvre right around the corner.

And of course the famous Patisseries. And other 'good stuff'' to eat. What I didn't understand was why people looked so gloomy. Hey, I'm from New York, I get looking sophisticated. But, was it me, or did everyone seem ever so depressed?

       

Patisserie

  What cheered Me up was taking a culinary tour of Montmatre with Jean Paul 

  of Culinary Tours of Paris