Italy 2018
Venice
Gondolas early morning
San Giorgio Maggiore - Venice
Gondolas Early Morning - Venice
Palazzo Ducale (Doge's Palace) and Campanile - Venice
Piazza San Marco - Venice
Basilica San Marco Reflected in the Aqua Alta - Piazza San Marco
The Aqua Alta when the tide rises higher than the low point in the Piazza. Depending on the height of the tide, the Piazza will gradually fill with water.
Entrance to Basilica San Marco - Venice
Piazza San Marco - Venice
The view from the roof of the Basilica San Marco
Basilica San Marco - Venice
Palazzo Ducale (Doge's Palace) - Venice
Palazzo Ducale (Doge's Palace) - Venice
Very large room and paintings inside the Doge's Palace
Ceiling Detail - Doge's Palace - Venice
Bridge of Sighs - Palazzo Ducale (Doge's Palace) - Venice
The Bridge of Sighs is so named because it connects the palace with the prison and it is claimed that prisoners would sigh as they last viewed Venice through the windows of the bridge.
Piazza San Marco - Venice
Piazza San Marco - Venice
The pigeons of Venice are very friendly!
Caffe Florian - Piazza San Marco - Venice
Caffe Florian is located in Piazza San Marco. Sixty-Five Euro for two gelatos, coffee and tea and live music
Caffe Florian - Piazza San Marco - Venice
Caffe Florian - Piazza San Marco - Venice
There are several Cafes around the Piazza and each has live music. Of course, they charge a cover charge in the Cafe for the live music.
Santa Maria della Salute - Venice
Santa Maria della Salute was built to celebrate the end of the plague in the 1500's.
Gondolas Early Morning - Venice
Oarsman - Venice
This was our oarsman for our gondola ride.
Gondola Detail - Venice
View from our Gondola Ride - Venice
View from our Gondola Ride - Venice
Intimate Canal - Venice
Canal Intersection - Venice
Saverio Pastor - Remer - Venice
Saverio Pastor is a Remer. He makes oars and forcola (the rowlock on gondolas). His workshop is open and you can watch him work.
Saverio Pastor - Remer - Venice
Forcola being made for gondolas. Each forcola is custom made for an oarsman.
Gondolas - Venice
Gondolas coming in off of the Grand Canal.
Gondolas and boats on the canals and Venice's leaning tower.
Gondola - Venice
Gondolas - Venice
Gondolas - Venice
At the end of the day several gondolas congregate in a basin in one of the canals.
Gondola Detail - Venice
Cemetary - Venice
This is the cemetary for Venice. Like everything in Venice it is reached by boat.
Burano
Burano is a smaller island located adjacent to Venice that is known for its brighlty colored houses. It also has its own leaning tower.
Burano
The laundry.
Crucifix - Murano
Glass Blower - Murano
Murano is the center of glass making.
Lonely Dog and Pigeon - Rialto Mercato
Rialto Mercato - Venice
Rialto Mercato - Venice
Rialto Mercato - Venice
Rialto Bridge - Venice
Early Morning Traffic - Grand Canal - Venice
Grand Canal - Venice
Basilica San Marco - Piazza San Marco - Venice
Leaving Venice
Florence
The view from Piazzale Michelangelo.
Rower and Ponte Vecchio - Florence
River Plants - Florence
Street Artist - Florence
Paper Maker - Florence
This paper shop makes custom paper and gave us a demonstration.
Paper Maker - Florence
Florentine Mosaics - Florence
Florentine mosaics are custom made images that are created from individually filed pieces of natural stone that are then formed into an image. This was a table top in the Pitti Palace.
Crucifix - Ognissanti Church - Florence
Plaster Ceiling - Pitti Palace - Florence
"The Atlas" - Accademia - Florence
"The Atlas" is one of Michelangelo's Prisoners and is an unfinished statue that was started by the master but not finished.
Michelangelo's David - Accademia - Florence
Mercato Centrale - Florence
Mercato Centrale - Florence
Enjoying a Spritz - Florence
An example of one of the many sidewalk cafes enjoying a spritz.
Ponte Vecchio - the Old Bridge - Florence
Ponte S. Trinita - Florence
San Gimignano at Sunset
Tuscany Late Afternoon - San Gimignano
This is the view of the vinyard where we stayed outside San Gimignano.
Vinyard at Sunrise - San Gimignano
Tuscany at Sunrise - San Gimignano
San Gimignano and vinyard at Sunrise
Tuscany Late Afternoon - San Gimignano
Shadow - San Gimignano
The Streets of San Gimignano
Abbidazia (the Abby) San Galgano
Abbidazia (the Abby) San Galgano
Abbidazia (the Abby) San Galgano
Abbidazia (the Abby) San Galgano
Carrara Marble Quarry - Carrara
Carrara Marble Quarry - Carrara
Pisa
The View from the Leaning Tower
Ceiling of the Duomo - Pisa
The Duomo - Pisa
Frescos - Camposanto - Pisa
These large frescos surround the perimeter of the Camposanto which is adjacent to the Duomo in Pisa. The woman in the photograph is restoring the wall.
Statue - Camponsanto - Pisa
Porta all"Arco - Volterra
The Porta all'Arco is an ancient (3rd or 2nd BC) Estruscan gate to the hilltop town of Volterra. In World War II the town's inhabitants were given 24 hours to block off the gate to prevent the Germans from blowing it up to stop the allies from getting into Volterra. They were successful.
Alabaster Artisan - Volterra
Volterra is known for alabaster and there are several shops were different objects are handcrafted.
American Cemetary Memorial - Florence
On the way out of Florence we found the American Cemetary Memorial that is dedicated to American soldiers that were killed in WWII in Italy. In the distance is the Wall of the Missing where soldiers who were killed but where never recovered are listed.
American Cemetary Memorial - Florence
American Cemetary Memorial - Florence
Sunset - San Gimignano