Our First Opera

Ok, let's just cut to the chase.  Venice looks like this.  Every canal, every alley way, every bridge is an amazing view.  The place really is as beautiful as this every where you look.  

Our first night and we already have a plan - the Opera!  

We cleaned up after our flight and headed out to La Fenice.

Tonight's selection was La Traviata.

We only knew one song….of course it was the drinking song.   I know if I hummed it for you, you would know it too.

I'm not sure what I enjoyed more - the show or the theater itself. 

We weren't the only ones snapping pictures before the show. 

Turns out our seats were in the front row.

So in front of us was the little wall….then the orchestra pit and then the stage.  That meant the actors were pretty close to us and worried that they could see us.  Because unfortunately we were so tired from the flight (remember, we've been up now for about 36 hours with very little sleep - especially me) that we were both taking little cat naps and then snapping our heads up to act like we were awake. 

We were close enough to read the conductor's score.

Even the ceiling was amazing.

The pit.

As soon as we left the theater I woke up.  That's not a reflection on the show but probably a result of the two cokes I pounded at the two intermissions.  I don't even like coke but it was the fastest way to get as much sugar and caffeine into my system as possible during the brief intervals.

Dinner al fresco.  Great people watching.  Pasta and wine, of course.

The table near us was a big group of men talking and laughing and at one point one of them was standing up like he was announcing something but it was all in Italian so I have no idea what was going on.  It looked fun, though. 

Bill lighting his cigar for the walk home.  

Day one complete.  Not bad at all.