Well, that certainly went by too quickly.

Two Saturdays ago we arrived by train in Venice, and now we’re on another train, headed to Florence. It’s a sad moment saying goodbye to the beautiful city that’s been our home for two weeks, but we’re also ready for the next stage of our European adventure.

The idea was to try living like natives in Venice, so we waited until the almost last possible minute to do the most touristy thing we could think of: a gondola ride. Avoiding the more crowded spots like Rialto or San Marco, we found a friendly gondolier near Frari Church who took us for a lovely cruise through the backwaters of Dorsoduro and San Polo.

The last time I was in Venice I actually fell into a canal (it’s a long story). A gondola ride lets you get almost as close to the water, with far less risk of giardia or tetanus. In fact, it’s an amazingly peaceful experience–Maureen almost dozed off at one point as we slid gracefully through the narrow canals and under hidden bridges, hearing only the sound of water dripping off the oar or gently lapping against the side of the boat.

Well, that and a few “blind curve” warning cries (oooooh-ayyyy!) and descriptions of key landmarks by our gondolier. You can get a sense of the experience—and save yourself €80 to €100—by checking out the brief video below.