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In striking contrast with previous days in Venice, Day 4 was full of sunshine. Lots of churches dotted our route, although many of them did not allow photos inside. (Some of these are “forbidden” shots 🙂 The text, again, is from the original journal post.

A convenient way to chart a day in Venice is to pick a church in the distance and wind your way towards it. today, we visited eight. A historical game of connect the dots.

Set off after breakfast under a blue sky. First stop was the nearby Santa Maria del Rosario…”a Renaissance masterpiece”…on the Giudecca Canal. We had passed this columned facade many times in previous visits, but never ventured inside. A pleasant stroll down the canal fondamente and a quick jog to the right brought us to the church of San Sebastian.

Two off-the-map churches on the way to our next stop: Chiesa di Santa Maria della Visitazione (from the 15th century) and Chiesa di San Raffele Arcangelo (from the 12th century). One of the nice things of these hidden spots is that they allow photographs.

Lunch of hearty pastas at the Impronto Cafe. My tagliatele with mushrooms was wonderful.

Window-shopped to our next destination: San Polo, an ancient church from the 9th century. Another 9th century church followed…the beautiful San Giacomo dall’Orio. The non-descript San Stae was next…our least favorite of the trip.

Our last stop was the hidden gem, San Giovanni Elemosinario. Tucked away in the market approaching the Rialto Bridge. The church was built to blend in with the neighboring merchant buildings, and yet the interior was elaborate and peaceful. A highlight of the church was the faded frescos in a tomb beneath the floor.

Finished the day looking at paper mache masks, handmade marionettes, and Murano glass. Jeff found a magnificent oil painting from a favorite shop…Scriba, along the walls of the Friari. We have stopped into this shop on every visit.

Took a recommendation from a local shopkeeper and ate at the tucked-away, bustling Ristorante San Trovasco, owned by four brothers. My penne alla putanesca was divine. After-dinner drinks (mojitos and bellinis) and tirimisu at Impronto Cafe.

Serene, late night photos of the desolate Monday night city. The Grand Canal was silent except the occasional vaporetto.

The thick haze from Northern California’s wildfires has worsened today. The sky has turned sickly gray, and the air smells strangely of hot dogs on a campfire.

On Tuesday morning, I started off a short Southern California business trip with a meeting at the Federal Courthouse in the “historic business district” of hazy Santa Ana. On my way to pick up a post-meeting iced latte from the local Starbucks, I passed no fewer than six tiny bridal shops, each one with windows proudly showcasing the latest in Princess Bride fashion. (These colorful dresses are in-fact from three different stores.) Take note of the tiaras on each mannequin. I know. I know. I’m absolutely culturally ignorant.

Hmmmm, now that Jeff and I can actually get married in California…I wonder if these shops can make us colorful, puffy tuxedos!! I want gold!

I drove south along I-5 to San Diego without a bit of traffic…shocking!! Checked into my old friend the Doubletree…warm cookie…just one 🙁

After a quick transformation from business to casual, I drove out to the ocean and spent a couple of hours strolling the Pacific Beach walkway as the sun slowly set.

My return flight home was delayed by heavy wildfire smoke in the Bay Area. The highlight of my extra time in the crowded San Diego airport was this humorous announcement: “If you’re missing your ‘The Day Mars Invaded the Earth’ posters, please come back to security screening and claim them.”

Here’s a present to loyal reader Matt…and an early peek at Rome. You may recall our odd “head up the rhino butt” photos from our trips to Paris…a joke that only two old friends can truly appreciate 🙂 Well, we couldn’t find a rhino statue in all of Italy, but we were able to sneak this shot in the Musei Capitolini in the heart of Rome.

Day 3 can really be summarized in one word: RAIN. We got soaked, and the camera didn’t come out as much. But still, there are some fun images here, that really give you that sense of being wet. Enjoy.

There is probably an old Venetian saying that goes something like: “On a rainy day in Venice, at least I’m in Venice.” (They probably accompany that with a bottle of red wine 🙂

Undaunted, clad in raingear and armed with an umbrella, we headed out to our first indoor stop: the Palazzo Grassi museum. A large single exhibit–Roma e i Barbari–exploring the relationship of the Romans and the barbarians at the edges of the Empire. Ultimately, these barbarians would weaken and undermine the Empire.

Grabbed a quick bite at a tiny cafe in the Dorsoduro. Simple-but-filling sandwiches chased by Coke Lite and a cappuccino.

The umbrella and coats became useless at this point as we trudged back across three sestieri to return to our hotel. An evening drink–Nastro Azzurro…birra Italiana–on the hotel loggia as the rain broke, the late sun shone warmly, and a rainbow appeared. Rainbows can’t dry our shoes…but this one did make us smile. The air cooled noticeably. The bells of nearby Santa Maria del Rosario heralded the end of the day.

Dinner at a promising new find–Da Silvio–which had a warm glow, a chatty clientelle, and a creative menu. Finding a dinner spot is tricky for us. Once a trust is formed either through a past experience or a referral, then we are more adventurous in ordering. But tonight, for example, with no prior knowledge, we stuck to a pizza and a calzone to test the flavors. Fantastic! My pizze carbonara was rich and flavorful all the way to the crispy crust. Jeff’s calzone had layers of mushrooms and ham. Yumminess :). We will definitely return to sample their pastas!

Walked off dinner by taking side routes…popping out at random points on the Grand Canal, which glistened in a near-full moon. Along the way, puddles in the uneven Venetian streets played tricks on our eyes. A quiet end to a moist day.