Wandering's the Thing...

...and wander I did for most of my first full day in Venice.

My initial wandering took me back to the Rialto bridge. This time around it was swarming with crowds: people catching the view on the outside sections and people shopping on the interior. One thing's for sure, there is never a shortage of Venetian shops selling masks, striped shirts, and Murano glass.

The Rialto Bridge

One of my favorite sights while wandering was a couple in wedding garb having their photo taken on the Rialto bridge. Based on the specific/kitschy nature of the girl's wedding dress and a certain lack of chemistry between the pairing, I have a feeling that it was a photo shoot for something or other and that the guy and girl were hired models.

The happy "couple"?

After the bridge, I wandered through the food market. It closes at 12 during the week, so I was a little late, but I got to see the few stalls that hadn't closed shop yet. Basically it consists of dozens of tables where people set up shop and sell everything from fruit to fish in a crowded area.

People at the market. 

From here I wandered down thin alleys and took far too many pictures of Italian architecture and gondoliers.

Wandering through the winding streets of Venice. Ciao!

I wandered here, there, and everywhere!

Eventually, I wandered to Piazza San Marco. During the day, the piazza is flooded with sunlight and tourists. After a quick scoop of gelato, I hopped on line to see St. Mark's Basilica (or should I say the Basilica Cattedrale Patriarcale di San Marco). Unfortunately, you can't take pictures inside, but oh how I wish that I could have. The arched and domed ceiling predominantly gives off a golden hue and is covered in mosaic tiles. At multiple points throughout the mosaics form pictures of saints or of stories. The grandeur of the basilica is made even better by the Pala d'Oro.

You have to pay 2 euro to see this Byzantine masterpiece, but it's a brilliant gold with precious stones and tells the story of St. Mark.

The Basilica. They were doing work on the top left side of the building, so I cut it off in a lot of my pictures. 

After touring the Basilica, I walked along the Riva degli Schiavoni and took a vaporetto back to the stop nearest my hotel.