Venice

 We said goodbye to our new friend Michael and later we arrived in Venice on a train from Salzburg.  We had an airbnb reserved, but got an e-mail a few days before that the man's daughter was coming to live with him, so the room was no longer available.  We booked a guesthouse which ended up being expensive and had terrible service.  I rated it on trip advisor- http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g187870-d564778-Reviews-Residenza_Ca_Dario-Venice_Veneto.html.  I highly recommend avoiding this place if you decide to go to Venice.
That evening we had our first Italian dinner.  I had cheese and spinach stuffed pasta.  It was a bit dry, but I just loaded it with fresh parmesan (that accompanies every Italian meal like the salt/pepper shakers I am used to) which was amazing.  We got gelato that evening and walked around.  It was beautiful.

The cutest couple

Thursday took it easy in the morning and then walked around Venice.  I actually found some things to buy for decent prices.  Having fun trying on a hat.

We grabbed a slice of pizza at a roadside stand that we ate as we walked.

  We saw San Marco square which was beautiful and busy.
St. Mark's Square

That evening we met up with two other girls from the guesthouse where we were staying.  They were from Taiwan.  We went on a gondola ride with them.  Gondola rides are 80 euros if you go during the day and 100 in the evening.  We went about an hour before the evening price began and it was really nice.  You can fit up to 6 people in a boat and the price stays the same.  That ride was probably one of my favorite parts of the trip.
View from the Gondola

That evening we had dinner at a restaurant on the Grand Canal.  I had lasagna which was so so.  Josh and Brenda split a lobster and linguini for two that was amazing!  We got gelato that evening as we walked around before heading back.

Josh and Brenda's lobster linguine- I got a couple yummy bites too!!

Their salad

At the restaurant

Our new knock-off purses!