October 17th, 2021

Snapshot of a Day in Venice
By Terri White
Chilly drizzles dogged us during our morning tour of Venice.  Once through, the group parted ways to experience private adventures.  However, I was chilled to the bone, still recovering from my upper respiratory infection. So we dove down a narrow alley in search of a hot drink.     
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After meandering side streets for a few minutes, we found a tiny restaurant. At first, we ordered coffee outside.  Then, eyeing the cozy indoor booths, we switched to the counter serving booze.  I needed more than coffee to warm my inners.  Brandy sounded perfect. Drinks received, we headed for a booth.  But, oh no!  The waiter fussed over us, insisted on bringing our drinks and found us a booth.  Winking, he refused to charge us extra, which is customary when sitting inside.  Did we look desperate? 
         
Ahhh, dry warmth. Lovely.  Soon a waiter directed an Australian couple to join our booth.  What a great opportunity to visit with fellow travelers! We loved hearing their experiences and sharing ours. Perfectly charming.
         
Finally, the sun shone, so we headed to meet our group for a gondola ride.  Nestled into a gondola, we meandered the canals, heard bits of Venetian history, and finally eased into the Grand Canal, which bustled with activity. What a sight!
         
For the rest of the day, our group split up to explore on our own. We strolled the cobblestone streets, gazed at the sights, ventured over bridges, and landed at a pizza place overlooking the Grand Canal.  Seated outside, we drank in our surroundings as we sipped wine and savored our artichoke pizza. Yum.
         
As the sun glided toward the West, we hopped onto our boat-bus to meet our group for dinner.  Thus ending another memorable day on our tour.