Venice the first day

Venice is so picturesque but too bad it’s cloudy – and probably will be cloudy or raining the whole 4 days we are in the area. We walked and found an interesting lunch place with only Italians there and ironically it turned out to be an Italian chain – probably 20 of them around Italy. Food was good but “nothing to write home about” – although I guess I am…

After lunch we walked more streets and found this fun kids playground equipment – like a trampoline with a belt that keeps you in place….kids must live it – like mini-bungee jumping

then took the Vaporetto around the grand canal and to Lido and back.

Again too bad it’s cloudy.

We took an hour or two break (in my case a nap)

Then we walked around down mostly smaller uncrowded streets

and came upon an interesting square with a ristorante that on ground level was a wine bar and upstairs tables for dinner. Wonderful bustling and good looking waiters with leather aprons – wait that came out wrong (but couldn’t resist leaving it in). They did wear leather aprons though. Unfortunately it was too dark to photograph the food but it was beautifully presented. We had watched the chef preparing plates while we waited 10 min or so to get a table and his attention to detail convinced us it was worth the wait. We only heard one table of about about 9 where English was spoken. The outside

downstairs watching the chef

Wine bar

Upstairs

Sorry not great pictures but ambiance was wonderful and food was maybe the best we’ve had and wonderful local wine! Bill rated Billy’s in Manarola as best and I lean towards this. Katie, you would have lived this… Here is what was so good – translations from the menu Appetizer was sea bass capaccio with buffalo mozarella and yogurt mint dressing, primi course was gnocchi with herbs, scallops and red chicory, secundi was ombrina (a whitefish) with basil and ginger with asparagus. We shared those courses. Dessert I had Ventian creme on biscuits and Bill had Rice roll with pineapple and spicy chocolate.

The building was a bank and where rich venetians send servants to collect or pay debts -so as not to dirty their hands with handling money.