Pam's 50th Adventure

Today was all about "surprise destination #4" on what I'm starting to refer to as the "Life after 50 Tour"!   It's a destination that I've always wanted to visit, since - from all the pictures I've ever seen - it has always seemed like one of the most magical places on earth. (In fact, it was built to reach the heavens!). And trust me, it did not disappoint us... It was an early rise, as we were booked on a 7am TGV (France's famed 'train de grand vitesse') out of Gare Montparnasse.  All I had told Pam was, "We need to be out the door at 6:40am - you'll find out more along the way!"  Inquisitive soul that she is, she kept asking questions throughout last night, but I was adamant she would not find out the plan until the last minute. About to board the TGV to Rennes. Smoothest, fastest ride we've ever had on a train. We made it to Track #2 at Monparnasse at 6:50am, equipped with fresh pain-au-chocolat from a pat...

We had this morning to take in our last few sights of Venice, before heading to the airport.  Up at 8am (still struggling with the five-hour time change), a wonderful breakfast in the hotel, and then on the bus to Piazza di Roma by 10.  We decided to focus the morning on seeing the part of the city known as , which features the Church of Madonna dell'Orto, an elegant church from the 1400s with a Gothic facade and cloisters, plus works by the artist Tintoretto, who is buried here.  We found our vaporetto (water taxi) and enjoyed the view of the city enroute.  After yesterday, we felt like pros with the water bus (vaporetti) network and even helped some other tourists! As Venice is famous for its masks, Pam bought a nice one partially covered in music notes. (She is inexplicably drawn to all things "music notey"!) Venetian ambulance What a classy facade for a hospital! The Church of Madonna dell'Orto Inside  the Church of Madonna dell'Or...

Due to the time change and exhaustion, we didn't wake until 8:30.  After a leisurely breakfast in the hotel, we caught the bus at 10:45 into the City. Venice is connected to the rest of Italy by a causeway containing a highway and train lines. The city is situated across a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by bridges. With over a quarter million residents, Venice is renowned for its stunning architecture and artwork. The lagoon and a part of the city are listed as a World Heritage Site. Situating Venice.  The blue dot is where we are staying in nearby Mestre.  "SR11" is the causway linking Venice to the mainland.   We were here over a decade ago in the extreme heat of July, which was almost unbearable.  On that visit, I wasn't keen on paying for what I considered an exorbitant ride in a kitschy gondola.  In hindsight, that was like taking your wife to Paris and cheaping out on the Eiffel Tower.  For the last ...