What a full day!
We got a late start, did some laundry and reading after breakfast and finally set out for San Marco around 11:00.
It was, as expected, very crowded, so we didn’t stay long. Just had to breathe it in a little bit. There’s more scaffolding than I remember from times past and around the Bridge of Sighs is the worst–bright blue advertising cloth on the scaffolds.
From there we walked along the canal into Castello. I wanted to see the Pieta church because I am reading a book (The Four Seasons–historical fiction with Vivaldi as a character) in which the church plays a big part.
We stopped for a while to watch a funeral–the flower covered casket being loaded onto a boat and heading out. Finally we walked to the Arsenale and sat happily in the little park in front.
Here I am studying the map:

And here’s the Arsenale:

It took us a long time to walk back and we had really worked up an appetite. So, we went to the Strega Restaurant, mentioned in Chow Venice! The garden seating area is really pretty:

The place was filled with local, business men types. Ken had a huge pizza–they must have 50 different pizze on the menu. It was really good with a great crispy, thin crust, but the mushrooms seemed like they were from a can. I had a nice salad with tuna. The oil and vinegar are in little individual pouches–like ketchup at a fast food place.
After that, we came home. Of course the laundry still wasn’t done. These crazy Italian machines!! Finally we got it out but it was awfully wet. We put the drying rack out on our terrace, in the sun.
We went to the COOP together and then split up so I could go meet with Alberto my language buddy and Ken came home with the groceries. It takes about 30 minutes to walk over the the Frari from here so I am logging some great walking times, going to the meetings. My calves are sore!
Came home and I made rigatoni with cherry tomatoes. Not so great. We never made it out again after dinner even though I was really in the mood for gelato.