Brian and Marg's Mediterranean Cruise and European Vacation - Spring 2014: June 16

The trouble with writing a blog about travels in Europe is that you run out of superlatives. Beautiful, spectacular, magnificent, awe inspiring, are all words used so often that they stop having any meaning. Such is the case when describing Venice.

This afternoon we went for lunch in a small cafe along one of the many canals that run off the Grand Canal. It was fun watching the gondolas floating down the canal carrying their many passengers. Unfortunately none of the gondoliers were singing.

My stomach seems to have settled down a bit and I was able to have some pasta with a cream sauce. I'm not going to be having wine or tomato sauce for a couple of days.

Next we went to the Doge's Palace in St. Marks Square. This is one of the most spectacular palaces that we have ever seen. Its statue filled courtyard guides you to gold-covered stairwells that lead to chambers filled with priceless works of art that in turn lead to football sized assembly halls decorated with huge murals on the walls and exquisite paintings on the ceilings depicting the history of Venice. One can only imagine the wealth and power that Venice had in the Renaissance.

Chamber of Quarantia Civil Vecchia

Sala del Maggiore Consiglio

Scala d'Oro

The Doge was an elected official who presided over the government of the city state of Venice. Once the Doge was elected, he presided over the government of Venice for life. The palace was his residence, the legislative assembly, Venice’s highest court and its jail. The government was a unique combination of democracy and aristocratic rule. The Doge did not have complete power and he ruled with along with the college of noblemen.

As Marg pointed out, the Doge’s official robe of office included an Elf hat although I suspect historians may take offence to that description.

For our last night in Venice, we went to another canal side restaurant, close to our apartment, to enjoy a leisurely dinner, watch the boats and the sunset. It was a nice way to cap off a wonderful few days in Venice.