From Bavaria To Venezia in a Whirlwind Day

When we assemble as a group to do our touring and sightseeing we don't go unnoticed.  It's impossible.  When we assemble to move to a new destination on one of our travel days we sound like an invading armada as our combined 84 luggage wheels bang and rumble across the cobblestone streets and sidewalks.  We get lots of stares and mostly smiles as we herd the troops into the subway or unload the train into the airport or even checking in for our flight.  Usually the ticket agents see us coming, and I think we throw them into a state of panic and they just want to get us checked in and through the line as quickly as possible.  Our luggage limit today was 20 kg per bag, and I know SEVERAL of us had to be over the limit.  Luckily we were just herded in and herded through - no weight overages and no passports needed just GO!  ;-)

I'm usually at the back of the armada so I mostly see the back of everyones' heads - I thought I'd give you a glimpse of what I see on moving days:

Really it couldn't have been a smoother travel day.  Munich's S-Bahn whisked us from the Marienplatz all the way to the airport where Lufthansa checked us in quicker than I've ever seen before.  Our little jaunt down to Venice took an hour as we flew over the snow covered alps and decended into Venice's Marco Polo Airport where 3 water taxis were awaiting our arrival.  Whew, that sounds like a lot doesn't it.  From there it was the beginning of yet another segment of our European Tour as we sped across the Venetian lagoon through the Adriatic all the way to the Rialto Fish Market where our Pensione Gueratto welcomed us to our air-conditioned rooms.  The only thing standing between us and that air-conditioning were 5 flights of stairs.  But with our newly acquired luggage handling abilities it seemed to fly by and there we were getting ready to embark on our Venetian Exploration.  I think the travel day was worth it!

Guess what...Abby Lee has just decided that Venice is her new favorite city which just replaced Munich as her favorite city which just replaced Paris as her favorite city which just replaced London as her favorite.  So many favorites from which to choose - just wait 'till she gets to Murren in the Swiss Alps.  I'm guessing a NEW favorite destination is coming up!

After some touring around Venice Island's Rialto Bridge and San Marco we headed off to Birreria la Corte for our fabulous first dinner in Venice.  We had reservations, of course, and they were completely ready and welcoming, and we had some great food.  Pizzas, pastas, bruschetta and even a beef filet.

Dinner was a hit, but alas the evening is young (meaning it's not yet midnight) and so off we go to San Marco and to climb the Campanile just in time to hear and see and feel the giant bells pealing 10 feet above their heads!

After a quick gelato (of course) several of the students practiced and passed their Venice Navigation test which isn't actually that difficult if you give up the maps and rely on the big signs on the corners of the buildings "Per Rialto", "Per San Marco"...THOSE are the signs you need to read. They'll get you wherever you need to go :-)  Tomorrow is a scheduled tour of San Marco Basilica and then the Doges' Palace Secret Itinerary Tour which is limited to only a small group of people each day.  Your students are part of that limited group where they'll see secret passages, torture chambers, interrogation rooms and attic prisons - How exciting!  Then they'll be off for lunch in groups and some free time shopping around San Marco and Rialto.  Glad we're not on any more of those 20 kg max luggage flights because I think after tomorrow we're gonna REALLY be loaded down.  Then for dinner we're going to explore little St. Elena down at the very tip of Venice where the real Venetians live and play.  It's vastly different from the glitter of touristy Venice's San Marco Square, but it's beautiful in it's own way.  There'll be families out for strolls walking their dogs and kids playing with neighbors and maybe even a soccer game we can join in on.  We plan on getting some of the best little pizzas in all of Venice and eating them out of the box while we sit on the sea wall and watch the sunset over the Venetian Lagoon.  We'll get plenty of stares because we'll probably be the only tourists around!

Goodnight from beautiful Venice and from the Accademia Bridge over the Canal Grande!