Where We Go From Here: Venezia

Short version: It's worth visiting at least once.

The Jewel of Italy is a name that has never been associated with Venezia.

Once upon a time, an Italian "educated" me by saying that the "Italian Language" that is taught in schools in the United States is derived from the dialect that was spoken in Venezia.

His name is Marco, and I haven't seen him in five years. During this trip, I learned that the Venezian dialect is well spoken in and around Venezia and nowhere else.

Despite that Venezia was once a port through which a tremendous amount of international trade passed, the aquatic city currently exists to import tourists before all first floor tenants are expeditiously evicted by their new landlord whose name is "The Rising Tide".

All nonsense aside, Venezia is a beautiful city with a rich history. It is unique in the world. One of the most striking features of the city is that people live and work here. That may sound like common sense, but it's easily mistaken as being nothing more than a place to visit. That being said, here are some pictures taken off the beaten path: