Day 1: Hut-to-Hut In The Dolomites

Fourteen years after planning a trip to Italy, we finally pulled it off. The kids dissapeared on the bus to summer camp in the morning, the dog to the boarder next, and finally off to the airport for an all nighter to Amsterdam and finally Venice.

Dropping into Amsterdam, the land rich with human shaping of rectangular water ways, everything was smooth and the flight chill- even the food was decent. Landing and walking off the plane to the first flight info screens, we transitioned from hurried walk to all out run upon seeing that our flight, far across the Amsterdam airport and through a security checkpoint, was already boarding.

We made it just in time to our Venice flight, last to board. The question was... would my checked backpack make it?

Nope. Landing in Venice and waiting at the carousel, we made our way to the lost luggage office and made arrangements to get my bag off a flight that would be arriving on a flight later tonight. Frustratingly we'd have to find out way back to the airport to retrieve it, which was not time we had budgeted for in our travel plans.

We made our way to the ticket office for our shared water taxi, which was not worth the cost. While it was a cool way to get out to Venice proper, it was crammed uncomfortably (although listened to the two Irish ladies we squeezed between was secretly hilarious) and most of the ride was at high speed with a high wake that prevented you from seeing outside of the splash covered tiny windows. But, once it slowed down and worked through that first narrow canal towards San Marco Piazza, it was pretty sweet to stand up and see the Venice of legends. We pulled up to San Marco, awkwardly squeezed between the knees of the other passengers, and climbed out onto the dock, into the intense Venetian sun.

While the inter webs made it sound like this section of Venice would be super crowded, it wasn't too bad... I think we arrived before the major crowds of July and August. Cutting across Piazza San Marco, and into the shaded narrow alleyways, passing all the American stereotypes of Italy, we quickly found our way to our nights stay at Dona Palace. The history of this location, the iterations of existence, the storied layers crumbling off the exterior walls in the hidden canal patio, the low ceilings plastered in more layers than a Lake Superior agate... it's a character that can only be forged through time, one that no modern Marriot could match. I like it.

We game planned the retrieval of my missing bag, exploded our carryons, and took a glorious Power Nap for an hour. Slightly refreshed after 24+ hours of going, we headed out to explore Venice, working counter clock-wise around the island, enjoying the shade and cool funneled breeze of the narrow walkways, cooling off with gelato in the sunnier walkways along the Grande Canal, and grabbing food at the tiny, hidden Bacarando's open air square. Sarah thought she was playing it safe ordering off the Italian-worded menu the first item at the top, thinking it was going to be a safe, delicious spaghetti. But nope- that sucker had mussels! She ate half the pasta, then we switched meals and I ate the rest, along with the mussels. Not that I like them... but when in Italy....

We just explored, working our way along the obviously more traveled walks, crossing through famous landmarks and over notable canal bridges. We found definitely popular areas, filled with fancy stores with well-dressed model bouncers. And more interesting we found quiet walkways that led to nearly hidden cafes and restaurants and tiny shops selling masks and Murano glass wear and (probably) knock-off leather purses and bags. Eventually, between the intense sun and long day filled with lots of walking, we bee-lined for our hotel, passing once again through Piazza San Marco.

The next few hours we passed in the 6 table canal garden of the hotel, drinking spritzers in the shade, listening to all the worlds languages as the only Americans, and watching dozens upon dozens of the traditional Venetian gondolas flow past as we collectively used the water gun pistols to keep the pigeons away. It was quite wonderful.

After a short rest in the room we headed to dinner across from our hotel at Rossopomodoro, sharing a pizza and people watching through the crowded restaurant window. Finishing dessert quickly, we both looked at each other with exhausted, burning eyes and unanimously agreed to call it a day.