Day 2: May 1, 2015 - The City on the Water

We landed in Venice around 3:30. Thankfully, all of our luggage made it with no problems. We got all of our stuff, went through customs and all that fun stuff, then found a bus to take us to our hotel. We were staying at the Hilton Garden Inn near the port so we could get to the cruise easier. It was a really nice hotel - it pays to travel to Europe with your parents who refuse to stay in scary hotels or hostels. We had a while to shower and freshen up before heading into the city. It was really nice to shower after a full day of traveling.

We took the bus back into the city and started exploring. It was a little rainy which was actually nice because the streets were less crowded. We stopped by a little pizza stand and got a slice. It wasn't the best pizza I've had in Italy but it was really good at the time since we were hungry. We just walked around and got lost in the city. There are so many little alleyways, bridges, and shops. We had a fun time trying to find a bathroom (or as they call it, a water closet) for pregnant Jess. Bathrooms are rare over there, spaced far apart, and you have to pay to pee - it's really annoying. We obviously stopped and got some gelato. It was Mom and Dad's first real Italian gelato and it was definitely a hit!

We ended up in the main square, Piazza San Marco. We saw Saint Mark's Basilica which I vaguely remember learning about in art history class. We walked around the square and enjoyed our first day in Europe. It was really cool because Cory had never been out of the country before so when we got to the square, it was so cool to see him just look around in awe. 

We didn't realize how much walking we had done until we stopped to rest for a little while. We were tired and pregnant Jess needed a break. Dad got us a water taxi and we sat outside even though it was a little chilly to enjoy the view. It was a really cool way to see the city, especially at night when they were turning all the lights on and everything. 

We got back to the bus station and waited a while for the bus. We got back to the hotel and made sure we were all packed and ready to go for the cruise in the morning. It was a long and tiring day of travel but we really enjoyed Venice and our first day together on this amazing trip. 

Oh and this happened... She was excited to travel to Greece apparently...