Kannst du VeneDig es?

 
 It snowed on the day we arrived in Venice so I was a little worried about the surprise Venetian-style rowing lesson that I had organized for the following day.  As the photos show, however, it was a sunny day--though still cold.  After a long walk to northern Venice, we needed a place to rest before our lesson and stumbled into a hotel with the most amazing glass chandeliers.  No photo :-(  The kids had thick hot chocolates and cookies and free refills on the hot chocolates.  We met up with our rowing instructor and Gabe got right to assisting at the front oar.  It was a great way to get out on the water and not feel completely like a cheesy tourist on a gondola.  Besides, one of the gondola routes always coasted by right outside the window of our apartment singing and playing accordion.  So, we truly got enough of that eventually anyway.
We swapped apartments with another Wake professor and ended up with free digs on the grande canal, next to the Peggy Guggenheim.  Above is the view to the left from the kids room.  Below is the view to the right from the same room.

 Jarrod being rowed by his son under laundry.

  Gabe working on his technique at the back oar. 

 

Maya relaxing while Gabe does all of the work at the back.

 Waiting at the harbor for our instructor.

So, it was a great time on the water but as soon as we got back to the apartment, we realized that Maya was running a fever and she was rather out of commission for the rest of the trip.  

I managed to get her out to see the Peggy Guggenheim collection, carry her to the Zaterre for gelato on the one sunny afternoon that we had, and by the last day she was able to go on a little walk around Dorsoduro to the Academia Art Museum, a DaVinci Machines exhibit, and the most amazing dinner.  However, a lot of my time was spent in her room like this:

 

 So, not a bad spot to be stuck in.  Also, Jarrod and I traded out and I went on a lot of walks that always seemed to end up at the Zaterre--the southern most part of Venice proper.  I loved the wide boardwalk, sitting out in the cold sun, and watching kids on scooters and old Italian men gab away. 

I also love this building that I never managed to go inside:

 

 Also on one of my solo walks I checked out the Salute Church and the tip of Dorsoduro where this guy lives:

 

One of my favorite scenes on the walk to the Zaterre:

 Our skinny calle:

 





 Tintoretto's parish chuch:

 

 Venice:

 

Fur coat airing above the Asterix boat!:


   

Colorful storefront:

Da Vinci Exhibit:

 My favorite lady at the Academia:

 

Family-by-the-canal shot:








 

Maya with the lion:

 Above: Our dear friend Beth's son, Davis, and I on our last-night-in-Venice-blow-out-bash.  I think I will write a separate blog about this.......