Highlights of our recent trip

Finally, I've organized my 1,000 + photos. Here are highlights of our recent trip. Enjoy!

Danube River Cruise 2011 Slideshow: Karen’s trip from Venice, Veneto, Italia to 9 cities Praga, Vienna, Budapest, Norimberga, Karlovy Vary, Linz, Melk, Regensberg (near Forchheim, Baviera, Germania) and Passau (near Böckstein, Salisburgo, Austria) was created by TripAdvisor. See another Germania slideshow. Take your travel photos and make a slideshow for free.

Ice skating rink open in Campo San Polo

On December 9th, the largest ice skating rink ever set up in Venice was opened to the public in Campo San Polo. It will be open until the end of Carnevale on February 21, 2012.   (Hours are Mon-Thurs 3-7pm, Friday 3-9 pm, Sat 11-9pm and Sunday 11-7pm)  Along with the ice rink there is also a small Mercatino - shopping area- where there are some stalls set up for vendors selling foods.

This is not me in the photo, although I will admit I am very tempted to take a spin around the rink.  Not sure if that's something my new knee would be happy about though! In the center of the rink is an interesting structure that is lit up at night.  I love how it sits right on top of the campo's pozzo (well)!  When we were at Campo San Polo yesterday afternoon, there was a good number of families enjoying the skating. It's good to see this kind of activity for a change. Normally we just see crowds of tourists. 

I'm a mercatino girl, I just can't get enough of them. We used to have a nice sized mercatino di Natale in Campo Santo Stefano, however that hasn't happened in the last two years. I'm very happy to see this small one at San Polo, and I'm sure I'll be back several times to purchase cheeses and salami's during the coming weeks.  Here's a few photos of the vendors stalls at Campo San Polo for you to get a good idea what it's like.

Several varieties of cannoli- covered with chopped nuts, chocolate chips, and my favorite- with maraschino cherries on both ends!

These are all marzapan candies!!Lots of them!

 This liquirizia (licorice) from Calabria looked like large chunks of coal. I wonder how many kids will be getting some of this in their stockings!

I think I've died and gone to Cannoli heaven

I'm a cannoli addict, I won't deny it, always have been for as long as I can remember. I've done the cannoli tasting of every pastry shop in Venice. Rizzo Pane over on Strada Nuova in Cannaregio makes my favorite. That is--- until I had some of these bad boys at the pastry booth in the Christmas market. I will not be able to resist these. I just know I'll be finding excuses to go have cannoli's every day.

Life in Venice - The Christmas Market 2008

For as many years as we have been coming to Venice, this is our first December.There are so many things we've been looking forward to, especially the Christmas market in Campo San Stefano we had heard so much about.

The market opened up on November 29, and will remain open every day until December 23, from 10:30 am till 7:30 pm. I watched them setting up the market during the days just prior to November 29, which was enough to really whet my appetite for the real deal when it opened up. I've been through it three times already, and I am sure I will find excuse after excuse to be back there many more days before the end of this month.

This is the entrance to the Christmas Market as you enter Campo San Stefano coming from the Accademia Bridge. It looks as if you have stepped into a little winter village up in the mountains with all these little alpine huts!

Each hut is filled with with delightful surprises...Christmas ornaments, gifts, jewelry, wines, cheeses, candies, meat...

The smells coming from this little shop is just too heavenly. I must go buy one of these citrus hanging things.

Meats and cheeses from various areas of Italy are mouthwatering to taste.. and take home!

If you are in town during December, here'a link to more information about what's going on every day at the market: http://www.nataleinlaguna.com/

Buon Natale!