10).  We caught the 10am train to Venice.  It's so cool pulling into there!  You go across a big bridge to get across the water to the city.  We walked pretty far through the winding streets (over 2 km) to find Hostel Academy.  Again, I just followed Jordan like a puppy.  The hostel didn't even have a sign!  It's in an apartment building so you have to read building numbers.  It was kind of strange!  But our hostel was nice!  We dropped our bags and sought out San Marco square, where the palace and all the action is.   Live music, people feeding pigeons, etc.  We picnicked, which you apparently aren't allowed to do because it attracts pigeons?  Yet people feed them in the Square?  
 
It's definitely interesting navigating in Venezia!  It's quite funny because everyone is in the same boat.  Some tourists have blended in other places, but here everyone has their map out, looking at the street signs trying to figure out where the heck they are!  The street names randomly change without warning and if there are signs leading you to the Rialta Bridge, they randomly just stop and it's like a scavenger hunt to find the next one.  You haven't lived until you've been lost in Venice.  Ditch the map, give yourself lots of time and enjoy yourself!  You'll find your way back eventually!  We got lost on our way back to the hostel - everything looks the same.  I guess you just have to start recognizing monuments.  It was weird though - no one is in the streets after 10pm.  Completely dead.  We were hungry at 11pm (it was Jordan's last night) and barely made it to an open place.  Everything closes really early here and there is no night life!  I feel very safe in Venice.
 
(11) I walked Jordan back to the bus station.  He heads back to Canada.  I was very sad.  And almost forgot how to be my own navigator!  So I wandered, found San Margerita square, picked up fresh fruit and people watched.  I found Domo Gelatto, an amazing chain and tried to find my way back to the hostel.  Two hours later...haha.
 
I had a really hard time figuring out where to go next.  It seemed complicated to go to Croatia (I was intimidated by the planning!) and I really love Italy, so it's hard to leave!  I wanted to check out the Tuscany region and do a wine tour!  My issue was that nowhere had room for singles, only doubles.  Because I had no idea what to do, I booked another two nights on Giuardecca (across the water from Venice, a 2 min boat ride) at Hostel Ostello.  25€ is considered cheap...yikes!
 
(12). Each time you cross the water in a water bus it costs 7€!  Sheesh.  I know what I did was dishonest.  But at first I didn't do it on purpose.  I thought I had purchased a round trip ticket (the person 'no parla Inglese').  I didn't validate it because I didn't know how to.  And they don't ever check tickets.  Ever.  So I jumped on the bus to Murano, where the famous glass sculptures and jewelry originate from.  I saw two glass demonstrations.  I have a new respect for glass art/sculptures.  The glass masters are very talented at what they do!  In Murano I made a new Aussie friend, Ashlea.  She also wanted to go to Tuscany area, so we decided to go to Verona together the next day!  From Murano we decided to go to Burano.  So glad we did!  A place of many, many beautifully brillant, vibrant colors!  Each house is a new color!  We were losing our minds over the sweet photo opps!  We spent a couple hours there.  If you aren't into taking pictures and exclaiming over colors, you probably wouldn't think it's as cool.   After getting completely gypped on a peasant's portion of Risotto and Spritzers (Venezian drink with champagne and gin), which we didn't even drink - apparently we just got bad ones...Ashlea and I planned our next couple of days in Verona.  I would not advise eating out or buying things in Venice - save it for Florence!
 
(13). We went in search for the Traghetto, a 50 cent Gondola ride across the Grand Canal.  It's literally 1 minute long.  I didn't really care - I just wanted a freaking Gondola ride that wasn't 80€!  It was not easy to find!  It was close to the Rialto bridge and fish market though!  After our ride we felt worthy of leaving Venezia.  We scalped Ashlea's weeklong water bus pass at the train station.  I calculated it...I rode over 50€ free on the waterbus, validating my ticket on my last ride.  Bad, I know!  But it made up for the 50€ ticket Jordan and I EACH received for forgetting to write in our rail passes on our way to Venezia, an honest mistake.  Pff.  I think they don't check tickets because they know the water buses are so overpriced.
We caught our two hour train to Verona (home of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet!) and found our B&B.  We are both lucky to have found each other!  We went into the 1st century Amphitheater there, which honestly wasn't worth paying for - it's filled with plastic seats for concerts.  We were choked - the Romeo and Juliet opera starts there on the 20th.  Darn!  We cooked a delish supper of chicken and vegetables, complimented by vino and 3€ bottle of Bellini, which is quite good.  We also saw a 6 pack of Coronas for 1.50€ and thought it would be funny to drink Coronas in Verona (but didn't).
 
(14) We were so excited to begin our wine tour!!!  I was especially excited, having never been on one and also due to my new acquired taste for vino!  We went on the Veronaround Soave Wine Tour - a tour of the Soave region.  We learned about different wine making methods and visited the village  of Soave where we went to Cantina di Soave and had a guided tour of there - saw the Grotto from "Letters to Juliet" and then sat with our group, testing Soave Classico, Soave Classico Superiore and Recioto di Soave.  I am still trying to give red wine a chance, but no luck so far!  I learned how to properly taste test wine and about doing quality checks.  We bought a bottle of Classico (only 6€!  You can buy good wine here for 3€!  Don't worry Cathy, I'm saving my corks for you!) and were especially enthralled by the gas pumps for wine, where they only charge like 1.50€/L when you bring your own bottle to fill up!  Let's just say Larae needed a nap after the hot ride home and wine testing!
 
Verona is a cute city - surrounded by medieval walls and so much history!  We went to Casa di Giulietta (Juliet house) to rub Juliet's right boob for good luck, see the wall of locks and go into the house with the famous balcony.  Guys, you probably want to sit this one out.  Just let your girl go in the house and pose on the balcony.  There isn't anything to see in there, but I did write a letter to Juliet :).   After that we had to find Romeo's house.  Very anti climactic - it's privately owned!  There is a Shakespeare quote by the door.  Sorry to disappoint you Shakespeare lovers!  We shared a pizza in the square by the amphitheater.  This guy sat by us - I never keep my shoes on 'cause my feet get really hot and I hate having them contained and he told me he liked my feet.  Um okay...creepy.  Then he touched my foot - in the restaurant!  My feet aren't even pretty!  Ashlea and I were kind of sad because we had to part ways in the morning!  A kindred spirit indeed - I hope we meet up later on!  She has a work permit for UK so maybe I'll have to visit her in London ;).

Check back later for some pics! 

Ciao Bellas/Bellos!