Part 1: My flight flew!

Day #1
Flight flew. Yeahh!! I was able to get a nonstop flight from Salt Lake to Paris this time and oh man I can't imagine doing it any other way. Left SLC at 5:00 p.m., watched a couple movies, read my book, oh and didn't sleep at all.
Day #2
Arrived in Paris at noon, got lost in the metro, found Tash and made it to our hotel. Spent the afternoon walking along the Seine from Notre Dame to the Eiffel Tower, ate baguettes and cheese, yogurt, and fruit with the locals on the lawn in front of the tower, felt like we walked forever but I think I was just super tired and hot.Day #3
Had a yummy chocolate pastry on our way to the Palace of Versailles just outside of Paris, crazy big Palace and gorgeous gardens. Back in the gardens is Marie Antoinette's hamlet that is so picturesque. Each little building had flower or vegetable gardens surrounding it, looked straight out of a movie. So so cute.

Flew to Venice, found a bus to the island, figured out how to use the Vaporetto boat system at midnight, there are absolutely no cars after the bus station on the island, even the ambulances are boats! To get to our hotel we rode down the Grand Canal, so cool at night.Day #4
Happy Birthday! Yep, the big 24, the last respectable age before it all goes down hill at 25. Good thing I started it out in Venice. Spent the day wandering Venice which honestly you can do in less than a day so we got a little bored. Found the absolute best gelato shop thanks to our new friend Rick Steves. Went to St. Mark's square (opening scene on the Italian job) and walked through St. Mark's Basilica. Listened to the bands, more like small orchestras, outside the shops in the square that night.
Day #5
Took a boat out to Murano island to the glass blowing factories, watched a man make a horse out of a ball of glass and it took probably 5 minutes or less-way cool to see. Got some more gelato, don't worry, Tash surprised the boy and got the 5 scoops and thoroughly enjoyed every bit of it.

Took the boat back up the grand canal and caught a train to Bologna then on to Pioppe di Salvaro. We're leaving the city and getting into some serious country side, a little nervous we're going to miss our stop but we find it and get off. Obviously looking out of place with our bags the man in front of us turns around and says, "This is Pioppe, did you mean to get off here?" Favorite quote of the trip. . .