Venice was our last stop on our anniversary trip to Italy in 2004. It’s one of those places you see pictures of all your life, but you cannot even believe it is real when you get there.
It is decadent and glorious and everything you could imagine. Even in December.
December 9, 2004
Venice Italy
Where do I even begin?
Venice is absolutely breathtaking. The whole city is just oozing elegance. From the very first moments on Vaporetto #1, I have been in awe.
Like a great maze, there is a treasure around every corner, a beautiful church, shops full of every possible color of glass and marbled paper, bright and elaborate masks, bridges, market stalls and gondolas. I have waked around in a dazed dream-like state.
Yesterday we just walked and walked and walked. We had the most wonderful sandwiches and cicchetti (Italian tapas) which we ate on a bridge. We went to San Marco and just stood there in the square.
We went back today to tour the cathedral and we took our time because I was enamored with every detail. The whole inside of the building was covered in mosaics and the pieces are tiny! When I got up close to them I could not believe all the tiny little quarter inch tiles.
My favorite mosaic was the one of Jesus sitting on the throne ruling His kingdom. Our guidebook said that Jesus was commonly pictured like this (instead of on a cross) in Byzantine cultures. I bought a postcard of this mosaic to remember Jesus this way–Sovereign over all, his hands stretched out in front of him, welcoming. Not to worry. He’s handling all things.
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