Venice, with a little kiddo

Venice with a kiddo is totally the best idea ever.  Unless you have a stroller.  There are lots of bridges that you need to climb up and down and so a stroller is not a good plan.  But here are some reasons why Venice is the best idea for littles, who can walk for themselves.

No cars. Stating the obvious here, but we went to Venice in low tourist season.  Joel could run ahead and he knew to stop and wait at the corner.  We were not worried about cars of trains or anything coming out and hitting him.  He felt he could adventure on his own and he didn't need to hold hands the whole time. He got to know the squares and called St. Marks "our church," since it was right near our hotel.

Joel loved, loved, loved the gondola ride.  Like really loved it.  I'm pretty sure it was one of the more memorable moments of my life when riding in that gondola with him.  He was so super chatty with the gondolier, telling him all about his first trip to Italy and more.  He loved it so much for the rest of the trip he kept asking about going on one again.  We bought him a gondola hat and shirt, and he wore it the remainder of the trip.  Luckily, mommy remembered that there are traghetto rides so we were able to satisfy his need to go on more gondola trips by taking the gondola back and forth across the canal. For two euros each time.  Both times the gondolier let him steer the boat.  This created the most memorable vacation experience ever.  And, a. Nice picture.

Gelato was also a plus.  Again, obvious.  I'm actually not sure why everyone doesn't take their little kids to Europe.  Joel set a goal on one day to eat four gelatos- by the end of that day, we counted and he had 6. That was a good day for him for sure.  He ate most of the other food no problem - what's not to love with pizza and pasta?!  

We walked, we got lost, we stopped and ate ice cream, then we walked and got lost some more.  When we were tired we had a drink.  We didn't go in one museum the whole time, but went in three churches.  Just looked around.  I had been to Venice many times - but didn't get into Della salute as per what I can recall.  Because of the traghetto - we made it this time.

The boys had a great time.  I got some of my old Italian back.  Joel Andrew loved every minute and most of the traveling whines have begun to subside.  I think the first few days of our trip, with the time change and with the tummy bug he still had made for a few rough instances - I won't lie.  It wasn't always rosy and there were some are we there yet? I'm getting tired of waking! How much longer until dinner time?  But those have lessened and we are all falling into our traveling groove.  I wonder what awaits us in Germany!