This place is as amazing as advertised. Terribly crowded, and we were exhausted after seeing St. Mark’s basilica and the Doge’s Palace.

St. Mark’s Square itself was a bit of a let-down.

But Venice is fascinating. We even took a gondola ride. I thought it was going to be very silly and that the gondolier would be kind of embarassing, but it wasn’t. It was just a nice and slow (albeit massively expensive) way to see the city the way it has to be seen.

Our guidebook said a 50 minute trip for up to 6 people would cost 85 euros. The going price now seems to be 100 euros for 30 minutes, for 5 (some said 6). Singing (with musical accompaniment) costs extra. (We passed on that.)

We took the ferry over from Porec this morning (having to get up terribly early for being on vacation). The trip was uneventful (a few heavy waves). We took the water bus (vaporetti) from the ferry landing to the railroad station, which was just a short walk from our hotel.

I’ve got lots of photos, and even videos of a singing gondolier, but this Internet center’s only card reader refuses to read the memory card from my cellphone. Hopefully I’ll be able to upload them from Porec tomorrow or the day after.