Our goal for the day, however minor, was to renew our 5 year vaporetto cards which had expired just when we last left in fall of 2024. We stopped for coffee at Puppa Bar and headed over to Rialto. The process took about 10 minutes, including getting new, so blurry, photos and new cards. These are our third cards! They allow us to ride the vaps for €1.50 instead of €9.50 but they are expensive–€100. They only make financial sense if we actually come back every year so now we must! Afterall, we don’t want to lose money.

We strolled around San Marco, window shopping, still noticing the lack of oppressive crowds. The calles are not empty, but it is easy to pass by anywhere. Only on the very top of the Rialto Bridge was there a jam. We crossed over the bridge to go to the Mauro bakery for some bread and came back to our neighborhood in time to visit Bisiol. With big smiles and small talk we felt welcomed back. We returned home and had salami and Mezzancolle in Saor (pickled prawns and onions) and our fresh bread. Walking back home I realized that with the Gesuiti church covered, one of our favorite view spots is gone:

After a nice rest time, during which Ken talked to our friend Roy in Israel for about an hour, we walked out Strada Nova to the big Despar supermarket which is housed in an old theater. Got supplies for making dinner and a few other things.

I realized I had not taken many photos in the morning so grabbed a few snapshots:

We came home and unpacked the groceries and had a sweet call from Mavis, Juna and Teresa. I made us pasta with onions, pancetta and tomato sauce and a salad for a nice dinner. We drank a Morellino di Scansano (Tuscan sangiovese) which was just OK.

We are watching the Lincoln Lawyer on Netflix.

And to bed. With a smile on my contented face. Love this place.