Grand Canal, Venice, 09:00 hrs today.

This was our first view of the G C after getting off the bus from Mestre. Quite something when it's your first visit. There's also a composite I've sneaked in if you go to 12th.
We took the line 1 boat bus from there all the way to the west end of the canal. Best way to see it if you have limited time (or funds!). We then walked back through the city via as many "must sees" as possible. Started with the Dodge's Palace, along with several hundred fellow tourists. Superb, the palace I mean, not the other tourists. (Why, oh why, our over-the-Atlantic cousins insist on advertising their presence by making so much noise, and why don't they get their heads round the relationship between European history, circa 2000 years and more, and their's, @ circa 200 years. -- "Gee Wilbur was this town here before we invented Starbucks?"). Oops! On my high horse again. Must develop more tolerance of infrequent travellers.
Anyway, Venice is wonderful and amazing, and just behind the tourist traps there is a vibrant working city. Working hard through necessity to keep it afloat, both physically and financially, with the tourist dollars,euros, yen, RMB etc helping nicely.
Would like to have had more time and money to spend here. Perhaps another time.
Of to Innsbruck in the morning.

Cheers.