Second half of first day.

Kevin again: After that first sight of Venice, everything took a turn for the better. The transport from the airport to Venice through a choppy sea and in the rain was oddly a goodd beginning. Dampness is a way of life here and mold is everywhere. Oddly homely for us, like visiting the archeological forebears of our shower,

Walking through the Piazzala Roma and actually finding the Hotel Arlecchino even more amazing. The hotel is thoroughly Venetian, on a nice canal just off the Grand one. While decidely small, it's all stucco and marble and swaggy window treatments. The kids are directly above us on the fourth floor. Fin loves the bidet and we've all decided not to tell him it's not a urinal and what its actual used for.

We wasted no time..dropped our bags and headed out. Francesco, our host gave us some advice--"Don't use a map." Right from the start this turned out to the best way to approach navigating the tangled and confused amalgamation of streets (calle) , canals, fondements, alleys and whatnot that make up the city. He also said "You're never really lost." HA.

Spent the first day and night wandering aimlessly in the light rain and fog. Nellie commented that the city is like a real life Hogwart's, "the staircases keep moving." A corner can have two signs on it for the same place with arrows going in opposite directions. Anytime you ask a local directions, he or she says "It's straight ahead." Once you let go of the need to really know where you're headed, the whole idea of the place becomes clear....it's the ultimate exercise in "Be Here Now.: Best to bumble along and easy to keep going since every corner reveals a more wonderful scene, and more interesting character, and more beautiful old ruin that someone still lives in. Walking around here in the rain and fog made me want to smoke a cigarette for the first time in years. Frankly, it's impossible to describe the the beauty and special atmosphere of this place and pictures--even Google Earth cannot do justice.

I'll get the kids to there descriptions of day two tomorrow. Too tired to go into it now--can one use a bidet to soak tired dogs?