We are off on a family adventure of a lifetime. Nana and I are taking our family on a trip to Italy. We are calling it our Jubilee vacation. 

It all started 25 years ago when Nana took my Mom to Italy for the last Jubilee. My mom was praying to have her cancer cured (it went into remission for several years). Nana promised to bring back our family in 25 years for the next Jubilee year. 

We started our trip in Venice. Everyone flew in from different parts of world some arriving earlier than others. Venice was founded in the 5th century by refugees fleeing barbarian invasions after the fall of the Roman Empire. Built on wooden piles in a lagoon, the city rose to power as a major maritime republic. By the 13th century, Venice dominated trade between Europe and the East. Its wealth funded stunning art, architecture, and culture. Over time, its power waned, and in 1797, Napoleon ended the Venetian Republic. Today, Venice known for its canals, history, and beauty.

We took the water taxi from the airport to our hotel. We arrived a the Be Mate Ponte di Rialto and found a wonderful hotel where we had 6 rooms. Oh we had 26 of us on this trip. 6 of our children and most spouses made the trip along with 14 grandchildren. 

Tony did the planning.  We headed out for an early dinner as we arrived late in the afternoon.  

After dinner we walked around St. Marco square and then took a gondola ride with some long walks around the alleys and streets of Venice.  What a wonderful city.

The next morning we took a Water Bus to the trainstation, Next stop Padeu, Italy