It all started on Valentine's day this year (here's Day Saint Valentine and celebrated in February), when we agreed that would not present "- Only card exchange, huh!?" And we went to Southampton, pro show his band, so we had to sleep there. In the confusion of three houses to go, I forgot his card at my house. Last minute on Friday before the fateful day, I made a card with collages from magazines and stuck in the trunk, twisting like him and have that little something extra special.

On Sunday, Valentine's Day (and after the show that had been on Saturday) Mr. W agreed with me to give me the card in hand, but with the card had a packet, a book about Venice (which has always been one of few places that I always wanted to meet, and he knew it) .... Then there was that bronquinha basic and pout "-You knew it was not to be present, not worth, I have to buy something for you too! "And then he sighed in my ear," All right, only the tickets and the hotel were more expensive! "My only reaction could only be down the jaw and accept Trip scheduled for August and pro holiday countdown begin!

Six months flew by, lots of good news arrived, Baby C was born, Baby and Baby Dengo ô-name-hard-to-pick-up were ordered. Had trip to Brazil after two years of desperate, and time to fulfill the dream has come to see Venice as well.

The day began in rain - nor expected in London this time of year. Woke up at 4:20 am, and here we go! We both hate waking up early, but if it's for a day of fun, we jump out of bed in the largest sleep, bad mood, giving shock, but get up and go. When we arrived at the BA Lounge (yes, the ticket was first class, that outta brand promotion here-take-these-tickets-to-agent-no-sells-nor-reza-brava) the mood was already better and the shock had passed, we just glad we tava this little time away from everything and everyone and only two of us that was already beaten to happen

Waiting at the airport

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a hippie, even hypocritical. I have ideals that everyone should share what you have, do not spend all wins etc etc, but I confess that seemed child in candy store lounge. I took a 3 magazines (including Hello! - That is the kind faces - which I abhor, but free to injection in the forehead right?) And ran my hand even in some cookies and suquinho that are available in the lounge.

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I'm not much to take photos inside the plane, but had not as take pictures of that heaven Bluey that tava over London? I want to see if I put in a frame, to remind me that the sky is always blue in London. Even though only above the clouds trying to spoil the show As we were arriving in Venice, the woman sitting next to heed said that Venice would be on our side. I got excited and took pictures of some islands that do not know what he was thinking Venice. I had heard that the city floods, but had limit right? You could not see a house, a street, nothing! A few minutes later we realized that Venice was a large island that lay ahead, and he had a road enooooorme the airport there ...

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Once we got off the plane, known as the breath of the trips to Brazil warned that the BBC was once again wrong with the weather forecast. The day was beautiful and the sun was burning at noon. After passport stamped (I'm still traveling with the Brazilian, which is stamped, while the British, which is not stamped, not out) was deciding how to go out from the mainland to the island. Among the choices of going by bus on the road (20 minutes, € 3), taxi-boat (20 minutes, € 150) or vaporetto boat bus (1:30 hours, € 25 round-trip), chose the Vaporetto. The bags will all huddled in the cabin, but we were comfortable with 6 seats to choose from and looking in the window, if melecando sunscreen, and trying to hide from the scorching sun, but delicious. The desire was to play in the water right there.

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1:30 And the trip went so quickly that we do not notice. How good hippie-ócrata, I was possessed with the giant yacht that was anchored in one of the islands and possessed even more when I saw that carried the British flag, where's my recession people? But I calm down calm down with the details of Venice by the way, the first bridge, and the ambulance-boat. I just hope that no patient is suffering from sickness! : D

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And then we got, and the feeling of arriving in a new place is always breathtaking. Especially when it's a place you expected to know from the first time you saw the advertisement of Cornetto. Venice is beautiful. Gisele Bunchen of tourist destinations. Photogenic, charming, elegant, exotic. Where I looked, it was a picture I wanted to take. Each wink one click. But before starting the photo-fest, we needed to get rid of the bags. And it was the first experience with the impossibility of finding any place in Venice, even with map and directions. If one day you go, prepare to get lost, too. And love it. Unless, of course, you are traveling for eight hours and wanting to drop your bags at any corner to start tourism instead.

We found the hotel after about 20 minutes looking for (actually it was 5 minutes from the boat harbor), using my Italian scratched (studied 18 months when he was 14) and the English dragged the Italians. The hotel was in the heart of Venice, right in the middle between the two main points of tourism, the Rialto Bridge and St. Mark's Basilica. Beautiful, chic, luxurious but friendly and comfortable.

At the reception had 3 Brazilian fighting because the room is not ready tava, and a group of American already doing the check and sending it to the bedroom. Our room tava not ready, so I grabbed the camera, took receipt of the bags, and went to investigate the city that the two have always wanted both gone, and had never worked.

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We had two hours to beat leg before the time of the fourth released. Solved by back alleys of shops, stalls and even Carnival masks. But we lost a little bit back just so I can take a picture of the door that caught my attention aa, the restaurant in the alley that reminded me of Bragança. I fluffy watches inspired by Dalí. Especially the tap Lose Time Not only bought because we would not be able to bring without breaking into a thousand pieces. But maybe one day buy and have delivered, who knows?

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The street of shops (incidentally, if you do not get lost - on purpose or unintentionally - in Venice, every street will have shops) ended at the Basilica of St. Mark, who had already called our attention in the path of the boat to the hotel . But quietly, I realized how impressive the construction is all that phenomenal amount of marble! Linda and monumental, but we will not comment on the price (in money, lives, corruption, interest, power, etc ...) all this wealth was directly proportional to the fact that the church preach division of property, and care for the next release of goods materials. But let that fact go, and decided to enjoy all the churches as symbols of history, architecture, art and heritage to future generations, including us.

The Campanille is a tower that collapsed in 1902 after fires and bad restorations. We'd come a day night but it did not work with the plans, but we saw the city from above on the last day, but from another angle.

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This side of the Basilica is the Palazzo Ducalle, once the government of Venice when they still "fighting" with the Vatican to see who would have the power of the church. The Piazza San Marco is no longer as many pigeons as before but still has some purchases only photos - Nowadays you can be fined at the time if it is caught by the police feeding the birds - even though we saw people giving roll and ningém leading fine.

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And tava heat chipping 36 ° on average, until the bird had to stop to cool off And even the dog deserved a photo in Venice. Lost for that was where we were graced with the most beautiful things and inexperadas like this proton in the middle of a small square. But without the purpose of closing or locking anything. Just there.

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I fell in love the same shades. In a moment Mr. W even had to ask why I took so many pictures, and my answer was: "Why not?" I took over 50 photos of them, and took time to take share with the people because photo slide travel of others is interesting only to a certain extent. The fluffy parasols ages, and I'd buy one for me but 1) would not give to bring 2) The end of the journey was through troubled, I ended up messing up and forgot to buy

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It is no longer secret that I'm a freak chandeliers, lamps, lights in general. It is a new taste, I never cared much for it, but a few months now, the details of my attention and it is increasingly difficult to resist to record the wonderful designs that I encounter along the way. Not to mention the charm of a dead end street, which is only dead if you think small.

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And lost between one and another, we fell in love with the pots in the windows. And the pinwheels in the windows. And the channels in the windows.

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To guide the lost rides, took the pass to visit 12 churches ask for 3. It was a poison against the cheap-foolishness that was raging in walking aimlessly. The churches in places farther pros pulled the riots of tourists, although still in the script and once again give us the chance to admire a wealth of architecture and materials that do not know whether mankind will ever see again being created. Tired feet from walking for 12-14 days where descando always deserved this, but always guaranteed to be a spectacular place, this stop was on the steps of San Stae Church.

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Because speaking of Italy and not talk about food? Delicious food, and to pros eyes belly. Detail pro coconut showerhead in the ice cream that they know not the taste (= Puffo Smurfs!) Should have experienced! The nougat giant bread-fish, and the colored masses. Most of the ice cream they put on top of the fruit flavor, or grace, to-the-king.

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And speaking of eating, are the tips of restaurants (which incidentally came from that book about Venice that Mr. W gave me) the Rosticceria Gislon, who looked Brazilian pub, with a good and cheap food, eat them both for € 15 which Trifle is the largest in Venice, where a coke does not leave for less than € 2.80 and can reach € 4.50. Ate shrimp risotto with mushroom - did not even have time to wait to take photo-and Mr. W was good old Bolognese (which they called there Ragu).

The second tip is from Trattoria Da Fiore serving à la Carte, baratinhos too (but the account has been € 25) and well typical of Venice. Ate Ciccetti which is a selection of fish and Mr. W was polenta with shrimp.

Food delicious, fragrant, beautiful. And had to endure?

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For dinners, we were at the same hotel. Incidentally the Splendid Hotel was perfect. Mr. W took a room with view to the canal, and every time he passed the gondolier singing, you could hear the room. The room and bed were comfortable, and exchanged the towels twice a day (which worked for us because the heat was so intense that it needed two baths). Also had treatment kit pros feet in the bathroom kit, which I used and abused every day

On the first day we were finished, we saw the prices on the menu and found reasonable, so we decided to try. The waiter was a sympathetic person, the water rolls and served for free, and on the last day we won like three entries for free. The food was excellent and the atmosphere delightful. Live piano every day and it rained on the night was very handy. Recommend even if you do not stay at the hotel, dine one night there and not regret!

We saw the flag of Brazil about 3 times, and one was calling for aulinha Samba. But it happened at the end of last week ... It has VERY Brazilian there, I heard more people speaking in Portuguese than in English: A photo of half masks are the same genuine, made while you watch the artists working in stores authentic Papier Mache.

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On the last day, we finally went to the first two places that the book says that it is not to leave Venice without visiting. The Basilica and the Palazzo Ducale (comments page travel)

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And in a flash it was time to leave. In turn, lost ticket Boat w Mr. W had to buy a new one. Found in the middle of the passport when he was taking to submit to Italian immigration

4 days were delicious, bought lembracinhas (Murano glass, Venetian specific), ate a lot, walked more. The weather cooperated and we immensely to experience rain with taste. Surely repeat the dose if one day you have the opportunity.

And for those who thought he wrote too much, you have not seen the story I did with a day-by-tim details timtim, but this will only be written on the paper diary, pen and my own recollection, because again, reporting travel other refreshment there is not

For those who have even planning a trip to Venice, have summary of recommendations here .