Venice to Florence to Ferrara - Writing

Just outside of Venice, we heard you couldn't bring your bikes in the city. As neither of us had ever been, we couldn't understand how a city didn't allow bikes. I have never heard such a thing. Staying at a campground that sits along the peninsula across from Venice, we took a 45 minute passanger ferry. Always a fun way to travel for us, especially Ryan as he adores boats. Barely staying on the outskirts of a storm, cuddling in with our fellow passangers to avoid the rain on the boat, the sun was shining and the skies turned blue just as we landed in Venice. A city built on logs and traveled by canal and river boats. What a sight to see. Couples and families took the boats that are rowed by a person standing on the back, intended for tourists and tours of the city. Boats with motors take the locals around town, dropping them off on a few stairs that lead fromt he water directly into a building or sidewalk. It is an incredible city filled with tourists, shops, food, cafes, sidewalks and bridges to easy get lost, which of course we love. If you have a chance to visit Venice, I would in a heartbeat. It's so unique and who wouldn't want to spend some time on a floating city?
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In and around Florence - Pictures

Best expressos ever.

The Duomo

Taking a siesta

In and around Ferrra - Pictures

Waiting on the ferry

Lisa can name all of them

On the ferry heading south

The "cycle path" has a few obstacles

Carrying breakfast out onto the jetty

The floating bridge of boats on the river Po delta

basket of fried seafood goodness

Cycling outside the walls of Ferrara

Ferrara!

Venice - Pictures

Dolomites - writing

Unexpectedly, I got to spend my 30th birthday riding from Austria into Italy. Wow! The only things missing were family and friends.....but that's for later celebrations in life:-) One of the most amazing parts of this trip for me has been seeing the change in rivers as we follow them for long distances. We started following the Drau when it was a raging river, wide, and murky brown colored water. By the time we entered Italy, it was maybe 10-15 feet wide, and colors changed to greenish blue from the glacial silt. At times we could see the trout darting out from behind a rock for a quick snack. The smaller the river got, the closer I knew we were to our destination.

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Northern Italy - Dolomites - part 2 - Pictures