Venice - Dining and Shopping

If you ever get to visit Venice, I think you'll agree that an entire post devoted to food and shopping is appropriate. I can't remember where I read this, but I'm passing it on to you... Don't worry about a single calorie while you're visiting Italy. You will walk it off and then some, so take advantage of every pizza and gelato and wine tasting that you can!

Hotel Courtyard

We were lucky to start most of our days with a complimentary breakfast at our hotel. Most of the time, the spread was breads, butters, jams and coffee. In a couple of places we lucked into eggs and prosciutto, too. Usually there were some fruits and pastries thrown in, and that was plenty to fuel our morning adventures. Even if you don't stay in a place that offers a morning snack,

Venice - a City on the Water

A few years ago, in preparation for my epic Birthday Adventure, my friend Ashley gave me a travel journal. I wrote in it religiously - recapping each days events and escapades. I've taken notes on quite a few trips and I definitely think it's worth the time and effort. Especially for big trips where you're traveling to different cities - the notes are very important as you go back through your pictures and start organizing (or if you want to write about your trip and finally get around to it much much later). Hope you enjoy the journal view and notes on Venice!

Train: Verona to Venice - We woke up early to catch a taxi to the train station. This time, we didn't want to risk being in the wrong place! We quickly realized that something was different about my luggage - it was VERY HEAVY. Going up and down steps is a bit of a challenge with 50+ pounds of suitcase. Note to self: when packing for next European excursion, remember that the backpackers are onto something... travel light! We made it to the correct platform and boarded the train... but we were in the wrong car! We had to weave through 5 train cars before finding our seats. Finally, we were able to relax. That's one of the best things about riding the train - once you're settled in, you can just sit back and relax!

There were two stops in Venice: one was still on the "mainland" and then our stop - Venezia St. Lucia. The train crossed the water and we could see the big cruise ships docked nearby.

Hooray for Hollywood Studios

Lights, Camera, Action! Hollywood Studios, here we come! We started the day at the Starring Rolls Café - another Plain Chicken recommendation. We had a sweet roll for breakfast - and some coffee, but it was HOT outside, so the coffee was soon replaced by an icy cold drink instead!

And the star of the day is... Shelly!

After breakfast, we made our way to The Great Movie Ride. We waited in the line - and were glad that it wound in and out of the shade,

Flowers and food - Epcot Garden Festival

If you are ever able to visit Disney in the Springtime, be sure to check the schedule for the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival. On any normal day in Epcot, the landscaping is beautiful, but during the festival, it is UNREAL.

Donald and Huey, Dewey, and Louie working in the gardens!

Gorgeous flowers!

Wild Life - Animal Kingdom - Walt Disney World

We had been looking forward to the Animal Kingdom since our last visit! We had not gotten to spend much time there, so we planned to start our day and take as much time as we wanted...

Magical Days - Magic Kingdom Adventures

Today's SisAdventure started in the Magical Kingdom! 

Only Disney can make waiting in line fun!

We had another gorgeous weather day - and made it to the park just in time for lunch at the Liberty Tree Tavern.

Tea for two - Disney SisAdventures

What a lovely day for a trip to Disney!  We had canceled an airplane trip last year, so we had a "credit" on Southwest - after examining the options, we decided to go back to one of our favorite places on earth - Disney World!

Since we are still "getting to know" Disney after a LONG hiatus, we are having fun exploring all the hotels and options for grown-ups who are kids at heart!