Mira, Venice, and Palladian Mansions

Leaving San Cassiano was sort of sad. We enjoyed the town, had some good meals, enjoyed the hiking and the people.

But time marches on, and so did we.

On the way to Mira (our base in The Veneto) we drove up to Mt Grappa, the scene of intense fighting in WWI.

The road to the summit was perilous. 

There must have been 50 switchbacks, and in some cases our little Fiat Panda barely fit on the (two way) road. We were lucky we didn't face a bus coming down.

It was scary.

THEN, when we got to the top, the clouds moved it. I didn't take any photos at all. Apparently you can see all the way to the Adriatic from there. But we couldn't even see into the Veneto. 

We did, however, see this guy cutting hay by the side of the road.

We saw this is San Cassiano as well.

Mira was a place to park ourselves while we ventured about the region.

For example, to Venice!

While it is nicknamed La Serenissima it is very crowded in the main squares.

We sought out the by-ways.

But we did stop for a Spritz on St Mark's Square.

I had to try on Doreen's cool blue glasses when she stepped away.

And we always like the mosaic of St Mark's body being smuggled past the Turks in a basket full of pork.

a very cool place

Doreen then had the good idea to take a cruise down the Grand Canal!

It was very hot, but a fun (and beautiful) ride

I love Venice. If I were a rich man, I would buy one of these palazzos.

Maybe near The Rialto Bridge

What a place

The Bridge of Sighs

St Maria Salute.

The Doge's Palace

We left venice and returned to Mira.

The next day, we rode bikes to see the Villa Foscari, one of the first villas designed by Palladio.

Pretty.

Nice grounds

Quite a place

Here is Doreen, pretending she lives there.

Then we rode our bikes back.

Here is a strange thing that Google did to us before we left.

A nice, quiet day.