Markets and Marco

                                          Venice's Open Markets and San Marco Piazza

        Having visited many of the world's top open markets I can safely say that Venice's is high on the list. There is a fish market that is better than Seattle's famous one. There is a food market that is comparable to Florence's and the clothing and other goods market is similar to Petticoat Lane in East London, except for the 'cocknies' and the pickpockets.
     The fish market had such a variety of fish that I wished I could fly some home with me. There were little ones, big ones, slimy ones and colorful ones.

Someone has to clean the fish for the customers.

One of the big fish that fascinated shoppers.

Slimy eels anyone?

I was so motivated with this variety that at pranza(lunch) I had to try the Venetian specialty, fish soup. I was not disappointed.

That's what I'm eating for dinner tonight Rachel!

There was a plethora of extremely fresh fruits and vegetables and even colorful homemade fresh pasta.

Holy tomatoes!

Pastas of all colrs and all shapes!

Big and beautiful strawberries!

 The shops for clothing and houehold goods were plentiful, housed in several streets right off the Rialto bridge that I showed you in my last entry.
       We then took a vaporetto to San Marco's Square where we sat, had a drink, people watched, took pictures, dodged the most friendly pigeons in the world and walked through the magnificent Byzantine church of San Marco, my namesake. It is interesting that Marco Polo originated from the same city that has St. Mark's as its patron saint.

The Church of San Marco

I was fascinated with two old clocks, one which at the top of a high tower and serves to warn the venetians with different chiming messages and a 24 hour clock to the left of the church.

A clock of many messages!

       Enough of boat travel. We take our last boat tomorrow as we pick up our rental car and head to a virgin country for us Slovenia, and the little town of Bled. We say 'arrividerci' to the Venetians and our gracious landlord, Giorgio and head to the Julian Alps.