Burano

    Yesterday we went to Padua, and though we got to see the Scrovegni Chapel and the beautiful church of St Anthony's, it really should have been a half day--we all got back to Venice feeling exhausted and slightly like we'd been killing time for a lot of the day. BUT we had a delicious dinner!

 Outside of Scrovegni Chapel

 Yes, Padua was a place we went

Delicious dinner!!

       
        Today we visited the Accademia Museum which had a large collection of Venetian paintings like Bellini, Titian, Veronese, and Tintoretto. But our afternoon was FREEEE which was very exciting! Alex, Whitney and I hopped on the vaporetto (the water taxis that act as public transportation around Venice) and took the long ride over to Burano, a small island originally known for its lacemaking industry. Now it is known for its amazingly colorful houses--it is a requirement that if you buy a house or building there you have the color approved so the town can make sure it's bright enough--and its rosotto! Anthony Bourdain came here in 2009 to a restaurant called Trattoria Da Romano, which is known to have the best rosotto in the world! It is also famously Keith Richards favorite rosotto, and the restaurant was essentially the Cafe Du Magot of Venice in the early 20th century with famous painters and even Ernest Hemingway in attendance. So I was determined to have some too!

Basically, it was the best day ever. We thought we had barely made it in time for lunch, but they seated us outside with no problem. The rosotto matched with the scenery was perfection! Such a delicate yet distinctly seafood flavor--amazing texture, creaminess, everything.

After our super fun meal, we walked around the town, looking at the beautifully colored houses and canals, really trying to soak it all in. There was a 90% chance to rain today, but through prayer and God's grace alone it was sunny all day long! Honestly I couldn't have imagined anything more wonderful! 

      We had the creamiest gelato I have ever had right across the street from Da Romano then made our way back on the Vaporetto. Riding the boats is the best (as we learned from the Batobus in Paris). I loved standing by the railing and watching Venice go by! As we neared our stop called Zattere, I got some great shots of the city. 

Tomorrow we are headed up into the Alps! It's going to be so hard to leave Venice, but I think I can almost hear the hills singing already...