And I don't even like Bellinis

But before I get to that, let me say that I'm so happy to be able to use contractions again, although I'm sure there's some other thing I won't be able to find on this particular keyboard. Oh yeh, it's the dash. . .
Last night after we got lost in Venice, which is so easy to do but who cares?, and had dinner (early, 6pm, they were going to refuse us service until 7, but when we got up to go they decided to feed us. I guess we looked tired and pitiful,) we thought we would go ahead and get our sea legs by taking the vaporetta (the water bus, think city bus on the canal) to Harry's famous bar and have a world famous bellini to kick off our tour of Venice. After we stood in the bus stop ,(which is also on the water) for a couple minutes trying to figure out how it goes (where's the motor?) the actual vaporetta showed up and we got on laughing at our tourist selves. We took a short ride a few stops down past the most amazing sights, and don't think we didn't stand on the side in true outoftowner fashion snapping away. Harry's bar is in the high dollar part of town, right next door to a big swanky hotel and is jammed packed with people dripping with money head to foot. The front room is tiny, about the size of a living room, the bar is very short but there are four bartenders behind it in white tuxedos at all times mixing and pouring bellinis 20 at a pop as fast as they can. There are people 3 deep all around the bar and you have to literally elbow your way up to order your bellini. Lisa gave me her 5 euros (7 bucks) and I had mine and we thought we would just let the bartender keep the change. I ordered duo bellini, the bartender handed me two and asked for 30 euro. I think I actually said "you have got to be kidding me" out loud. Lisa starts digging in her purse as fast as she can and we pay the man. I think I kept on making comments right out loud, you'll have to verify with Lisa, I was still in shock, I don't remember. Lisa downs her's and says drink up and let's get out of here. I said "h. . . no,I'm milking this thing for all it's worth and I don't even like bellinis". We stood smashed against a small wall by the door and people watched for about 15 mins while I nursed that bellini until it bled. I must admit the people watching was worth the 15 euros ( 20 bucks) to me and Lisa managed to take some clandestine shots of the high rollers of Venice.
We then wandered up to Piazza San Marco just in time to see them taking down the flags at sunset, complete happy accident. It was wonderful. After the flags come down the whole Piazza applauds and the musicians begin playing again.
We took the vapporetta back to our (lovely, snazzy ) hotel and Lisa has that story.
The Biennalle is going on, we plan to go to the main location today but there are events all over the city and we keep running into them. We stumbled onto an opening by a British artist and a dance concert by a Latino company already, without even trying.
While we were wandering the city I noticed that Venice loves cats, so automatically I love Venice. Out side the shop of a maskmaker (they were amazing masks, wish I could afford one) his cat posed for me while I snapped his photo over and over. He is obviously used to the papparazzi.