Tuesday 30th Dec - We couldn't miss a second chance to see one of my favorite places in Italy, the beautiful city on water. It was a chilly 0ºC when we headed out, thank goodness for the thermals. We have seen many different beanies and hat designs and lots of fur coats, particularly fur coats in Venice, don't get me wrong I'd love a fur coat but some women do like big bears when they sit down!

We first started out to see "Punta della Dongana" and church "Santa Maria della Salute", which is on the opposite side on the canal to St Marks. This beautiful octagonal shaped church was built in 1630 at the end of the plague that raged through Venice and this church is dedicated to our Lady of Health. This is not a big tourist site so not many people were walking this way, and we couldn't find many coffee places.

After a coffee and hot chocolate to warm us we headed to St Marks Square, queues were long for the clock tower, even in winter, so we skipped that idea. There was even a huge line to get into the cathedral, (which I don't recall having to queue) but I enjoy gazing at the amazing outside of this church just as much, the mosaics are just stunning. Liam & Rob had fun feeding the pigeons, Rob was hoping there wasn't going to be any thank you messages left on his new jacket from the pigeons!

I really wanted to see "The bridge of Sighs" as on our last visit it was covered by advertising. Constructed for the passage of prisoners too and from the courts or back to their narrow dark cells of the prison. A grim thought that doesn't enter you head when you see it today with the intricate white details, and peaceful gondolas passing underneath along the canals.

We passed some very enticing shops, the murano glass really caught Liam's eye, need I say it was the shoes and handbags the took my interest, some that would max out the credit card! Once again I couldn't stop taking photos of the gondolas and the masters that steer them through the canals, at €80.00 a ride we didn't treat ourselves.