Last day in Venice

After such a spectacular family dinner last night with rivers of good wine I decided to torture myself and arise early for a morning jog. My wife was sound asleep as I slipped out and into the warm morning air. Where the night before you could not pass on the side walk due to the masses of camera toting tourists now I had the grand canal to myself. I started slowly as I attempted to sweat out the previous night’s libations. The rolling path, due to multiple canal bridges was marvelous. Each corner I turned reveal a new tapestry of ancient buildings, marble statues, and quaint piazzas. I covered a 5K and felt revitalized with the accomplishment. 

Emily met me down in the restaurant for a coffee as the rest of the family was still sleeping. We decided to explore the oldest fish market in Italy this morning before the flood of tourists. We crossed the Ponte Rialto over a bustling canal and wound our way to the Mercato del Pesce where we observed boats coming in and out dropping off their catches and venders gutting and presenting the wide array of seafood.  It was quiet and professional. We slowly meandered around taking in the iconic market and the smells of fresh fish.  

Afterwards we returned to the hotel to meet up with the rest of the sleepy families. We all went for a stroll through the lively streets of Venice. As we wandered past timeworn buildings and picturesque canals, we indulged in some window shopping, marveling at the famous brands, charming trinkets, and classy boutiques. Our stroll led us to the oldest café in Italy, and one of the oldest in the world: Caffè Florian.  Nestled under an ancient portico in St. Mark’s Square, we sipped their world-famous hot chocolate. The rich, velvety drink was the perfect accompaniment to the live classical music that echoed beautifully across the square, creating an atmosphere of timeless elegance. 

After we enjoyed a delicious pizza lunch at a nearby trattoria, savoring the fresh, flavorful toppings and perfectly baked crust. Our adventure didn’t end there. We boarded a wooden taxi boat and glided through Venice’s canals towards the airport. 

Arriving at the airport, we picked up our rental car and set off for the Dolomites. The drive was scenic and filled with anticipation. Reaching our resort nestled in the mountains, we were greeted by breathtaking views and crisp, fresh air. The vistas here were as jaw dropping as the elegance of our hotel. 

We had a briefing with our program coordinator this evening and went over the next week’s worth of hiking. There were some concerning parts of the hike but we all felt that if we get out and started then we could walk out those jitters. It was awesome seeing mom and dad! They just conquered a cycling trip with Madison and Cassidy from Edinburgh to Verona. It sounded amazing. We had a great dinner and all crashed early in anticipation of our big hike!! Sorry for wrapping up the blog so briefly but exhaustion is setting in… stay tuned for tomorrow!!