A precious and marvelous couple of days spent in a magical city. Friendly restaurant and wine bar owners, winding tiny streets, many many little bridges, handsome and snappily-dressed gondoliers, expensive prices, glass beads and antique shops aplenty, brisk and cool air off the water. Une ville minérale with remarkably little greenery. The locals do as they might with window boxes, potted trees, etc., Enormous public squares, piazzas. Lovely and easy to drink wines, many a variation of salt cod, shell fish laden pasta, black squid ink, creamy polenta, thick and sweet chocolate, hotels up five flights of stairs. And everywhere, tourists like us -- many French speakers, many English, a few German and Dutch... No, we didn't blend too well with the locals, often with our guides and maps in hand. But, we moved and swirled about this tiny island, shared the crowded boats, and took in the otherness of this city caught between the Byzantine and Europe.
