Pinch me! We're in Venice (after six hours on the train!)

(*note to reader...it was virtually impossible for me to pass up a canal picture today. There are lots. I love them all. Venice is ah-maz-ing).

Chris got up and went for a walk this morning (even super human Bender was sore after yesterday's hike. Now you know how hard it was. Then again, he ran it there and back, and then hiked it with us.), and took this selfie with this statue with a dog. I don't know who it is, but any Bender selfie is blog-worthy. 

We packed up our stuff and said goodbye to the best apartment ever...seriously, if you're going to be in Cinque Terre, let me hook you up with Francesca! We went back to the same spot for breakfast. You can't beat a mozzarella and tomato on focaccia sandwich. We didn't even try. Plus, they made a mean cappuccino.

Then it was off to the train station. Today involved six hours of trains and stations to get from Cinque Terre to Venice. Things started off rocky. We actually got us and all our bags on the wrong train and had to literally push the doors back open and throw our luggage out. It was quite the exciting way to start a day. We need a real-time app that shows what trains are arriving/departing and what platform. Tech geniuses- that is my gift to you. If it doesn't already exit, if you build it, people will buy it. 

Once in, we had a nice, comfy spot to watch Italy go by.

Milan was our last connection and the train station was HUGE. More than 23 platforms. 

The second train was even nicer, which meant that this...

quickly turned into this.

I slept on the first train, even though the friend sitting next to us was all-out, open mouth snoring. I was good to go on the second one!

Stepping out of the train station into Venice was kind of dream like. This is right in front of the station, and yes that's a canal. I'm not sure what I expected, but Venice is so much cooler! But I digress, and at the point this picture was taken, I just wanted to stop hauling the flippin' suitcases around. A glass of wine didn't sound like a bad idea either. And we were way past gelato'clock.

So we hopped on the vaporetto (think subway on water. Kind of like a ferry. We bought 24 hour passes that allow us to hop on and off as many times as we want.)

Gorgeous. But we still had our suitcases.

Bender family selfie in front of a canal! I need someone who gets photoshop to help me fix all these wonky light pictures when we get home. Even with the bad light, I couldn't stop myself! (Still have our suitcases)

Love this one.

Yay! Our hotel! We are staying at Hotel Bruno in Venice. Everything seems to be more expensive here, including hotels. That being said, the staff was super accommodating, brought us peach juice as soon as we entered, and patiently explained their city to us. 

Another new friend. Checked us in, gave us all the city 411, and carried a bag up three flights of stairs to our room. Because, yes, we still had our suitcases.

Zack is stoked about his funky corner bed. I'm excited we're all back in the same room! 

Bags dropped and we were off. It was already 6, so we knew we had to keep moving! First though, Bellini in a bottle from a street vendor. Thought of you Ya! (And drank one in your honor.)

Zack and Zoe were way overdue for gelato, so we fixed that quickly. They seem to have settled on favorites. Zoe likes stracciatella while Zack gets a lemon/strawberry or watermelon combo. 

Look L! They have our funky light things in Venice too!!

We had a few minutes to shop and they boys used most of it in Puma. Because we don't have those in the U.S., right? There was talk of buying a jersey, but they opted to wait and buy a German one. Hear that Ulf and Frank? 

Then it was off for some cool sightseeing on the way to dinner.

V, we found honey balls! We were so excited we had to take a picture! Bender is going back tomorrow to buy some. 

The kiddos were almost as impressed with the canals and gondolas as me. I love boats and water...they are my happy place. Venice just feels like one big happy place.

Then all heck broke loose. Zoe mentioned something about climbing the alley American Ninja style and Bender was in the air. Zack tried, less successfully. Never a dull moment.

We found the restaurant that Rick Steves recommended, and kept walking. It looked too "American friendly". We wandered the "streets" in the general direction of the vaporetto station and read some menus until we came to this.

Pizza and pasta, and a wait staff that didn't understand much of what we were saying. Boom.

This guy, right here? He sat us, took our order, cleared another table and then went in and cooked our pizzas!

He also brought us tap wine! Woot woot. Who was going to get on that in Jax? Didn't someone offer?

Another canal selfie.

Mrs. Apolonario, I took this picture for you. Do you see the moon? This little piazza was so cute. Your friend the moon made it perfect!

The it was back on the Vaporetto. We took the long way to St. Mark's Square so that we could take it all in. Best. Mass. Transit. Ride. Ever. 

Not postcards...so crazy!

When we arrived at St. Marks, we stopped and listened to some music outside a cafe. The kids were entranced. The musicians were silly and entertaining and very good.

We are planning on going back tomorrow, but I'm so glad we made it here tonight. The nighttime made it even more magical.

And of course it was gelato time. And yes, we spent too much to sit and eat at Lavena, but it was awesome. The food, the musicians, the chandelier!

ANOTHER new friend! He rubbed Zack's head and pinched Zoe's cheek. Luckily they had both just had gelato and it was past 10:30. Both are pretty easy going by that time of night.

So tomorrow we're taking the vaporetto to Murano to look at glass, wandering the streets, eating some pizza from a hole in the wall, and interviewing gondoliers. Apparently, you have to be careful and pick one you like...and he's going to have to be patient. Despite the 5 or 6 Christmas card contenders, I am feeling stress to get a good gondola picture. Bender is REALLY looking forward to picture stressed KD tomorrow. Not.

To bed I go. Hope everyone had a great weekend! 

Ciao from Venice,

XOXO,

Benderz