We spent our last day in Venice doing what we've been doing every other day: walking, riding on boats, and eating. We had lunch at All'Arco. Tucked down a small alleyway on a corner this place is teeming with locals and tourists (mostly locals). There are a couple small tables outside but mostly it's standing room only. Happy, chatting customers fill the tiny counters inside and spill out into the street as they greet friends and sip prosecco. Inside where you order there are plates of cicheti on display at the bar – langostines, squid, prosciutto, asparagus, prawns, bacalao, all served on slices of bread and garnished beautifully. We ordered a plate with a good variety, for two, and asked the guy behind the counter to choose for us (also, a prosecco and a spritz). We lucked out and got a table outside and had a lovely lunch and people-watching session. Here's lunch:
Afterwards we walked and walked and walked, and then took another vaporetto around the outside of the island, and then over to Lido. We walked around a bit there, then thought we'd stop and have an espresso at the place not too far from the vaporetto landing (something Laguna, I can't remember now) that had this view back towards the lagoon:
Also, there were chairs. (Note: Just because the sandals are really comfortable to wear running errands all day in Portland does not mean they'll be comfortable to wear walking even half a mile on the streets of Venice, even after two prior days of walking around the streets of Venice in tennies.)
Everyone else seemed to be having The Venice Drink, so we caved and ordered a couple of spritzes. Here's my still life entitled Spritz with Cruise Ship and Pigeon:
And here's just the cruise ship (oh, with a flying bird there, didn't see that):
We took the boat back to Venice and then hopped the bus back to our hotel in Mestre. I changed shoes and we wandered up the road a bit to explore Mestre and it turns out there's a hoppin' little area not far from the hotel. I bought a cool aluminum ring from a jewelry artist who had a booth up in the square among many other craft and food booths, and we ended up at a place called Gino something or other for dinner. It was good…not amazing, but good — meat, cheese, pasta, wine. We went to bed early (meaning, before midnight for once!) and full.
In the morning we begin the bike trip to Florence!!
