last day in venice - on to florence

so we got kicked out of the not so splendid hotel - they were retarded and told us we could stay an extra day but didn't book it so they ended up being overbooked! total jerks.

however, we ended up in the biggest princess hotel ever! seriously!! sarah and i were dying. it's called hotel bauer palladio and it's across the water (a ten minute boat ride) from piazza san marco on a small island called giudecca. it used to be a convent and the property had been abandoned for 100 years until this hotelier found it and completely revamped and renovated it. it's absolutely ridiculous! we got upgraded to a junior suite and the thing was gargantuan. sarah and i were running around the room all excited like we were two. it even had a freaking door bell! it was so cozy and we so loved it. they were all about service - we wanted to watch a movie so they sent a bellman up with their movie collection for us to choose from in our room!

we had the best dinner at an adorable little place in dorsuduro (the jewish ghetto - that's seriously what it's called!) and the woman who was running things was a crack up. she kind of reminded me of laura palmer's mother in twin peaks. she was so crazy! dinner was delicious and actually affordable. we just needed to go to the ghetto to get it ;)

if you've never been to venice, you have to go. you will fall in love with it immediately, i promise. it's absolutely one of my favorite places to visit in the world. it's so picturesque and charming. the people are so alluring and affectionate. take a look!:

i'm always looking for salvation ;)


a canal in dorsuduro:


our crazy princess hotel room (this is about 1/3 of it)


near san marco:


the facade for the bauer palladio:


a cool church statue thingy near san marco:


piazza san marco and the duomo:


near the accademia bridge:


today we headed to florence - the weather was nasty, unfortunately. we stay here tomorrow as well and then head back to milan on tuesday. still trying to decide if we are going to do pisa on tuesday. i am staying in milan until friday (sarah heads home on wed) and then i'm off to amsterdam til the 28th. i get to stay in a princess hotel there, too. thank goodness for the starwood amex and my bazillion points! after that is london to see my boyfriend 2 last times :) YAY!

MWAH!

tiff