Happy Birthday Sarah in Venice Italy

 My Birthday in Venice

    It’s very hard to pick where you want to be on your birthday when you are travelling Europe. It couldn’t be Spain, that much I knew, but Paris, Italy, Turkey? I had never been to any of them, and they all held their charms. In the end it was simple timing that made the choice. We had to catch a flight in Rome on the 18th, so Venice it was, pretty good choice Universe, thank you.
    As we have already stated, Venice is beautiful, and one of the things that is a must do while visiting is a gondola ride. Isn’t that everyone’s dream to be pushed around in a boat, by a gentleman wearing strips and a straw hat, while singing Italian love songs? Well there was no singing, but as a birthday present Kristen and I splurged and split on a ride. Now technically it was the day before my birthday, but my actual birthday was supposed to be rainy so we went early.   

 We got a great deal, well actually we have no idea not having anything to reference it to, but we were told the ride was 80 Euros, but he gave us 45 minutes for 70, although he did jip us 10 minutes on the ride. Never the less we got our gondola ride. Around the water canals we were pushed, while getting snippets of history and architecture. The most fun part of the ride was everyone taking your picture as you past by. Every bridge, and there were a lot, had 20 something people ready to take a shot. Kristen and I are probably now in 700 random peoples Venice Vacation photo albums, so keep your eyes peeled.   

 On my actual birthday planned to go out for dinner. Venice has an incredible amount of restaurants, millions I am sure, and they all offer tourist menus, which is a 2 or 3 coarse meal for a cheap price. We picked Al Cantinon, just a little ways off the main strip. In truth it was why we picked it, it was quiet and cute, right on the water, and they had gnocchi, I had been craving gnocchi.
     We had drinks to start on the terrace beside the water, and then moved inside for our dinner. We grabbed a bottle of Italian wine, I had the tourist menu, with had gnocchi in a four cheese cream sauce to start, and steak for dinner, while Kristen got the Bolognaise. Her pasta came with my gnocchi, with turned out to be a good thing, since the gnocchi was to my disappointment not very good. I have no idea how it is possible, but the gnocchi was the same texture as the sauce, which was no texture at all, it was very strange, but being content with sharing Kristen’s, and then sharing the steak, we continued on with our meal. Everything else was amazing, and the service was extraordinary. Our server really went out of her way for us, and made our dining experience special. Venice is a very good place to spend your birthday!
If you are ever in Venice try Al Cantinon;
www.osteriaalcantinon.it