Shopping in Venice #1of2

As in Rome, Paris, Berlin, Prague, Strasbourg, and many other places, our favorite place to eat in Venice is the street-side “Cafeteria.” It’s easy to find. One year we bought cherries at the fruit and vegetable market near the Rialto Bridge, washed them in a nearby fountain, and had a feast along with some French Fries, a Coke, with an ice cream cone for desert, as we continued to walk the beautiful “streets” of Venice.

On our first visit to Venice, we bought two water-color pictures, and I bought a strap for my camera. Daughter Linda and her friend Linda, wanted to buy a couple of blue horizontal-striped tee shirts, like the gondoliers wear, but the stores selling them were closed that Sunday. The Lindas found some Italian sailors to try to talk to — Linda S. had her picture taken with one.

Another year we bought a couple of those shirts. Emmy enjoyed shopping (looking) in the shops around St. Mark’s Square filled with linens and beautiful jewelry.

Once Emmy spent $37 for a tablecloth, as a present for someone’s wedding, and bought a small tablecloth, with 6 napkins, for Daughter Linda. One store had small (6 X 4 inch) marble mosaic pictures. The prices were from $150 to $275, but we didn’t see them in other stores, so couldn’t compare prices. We remembered similar pictures at the Vatican cost a lot more, but a terrible price for something so small, even though it's so beautiful. Emmy saw a pendant for about $350, but no sale.

While walking from piazza to piazza in Venice, on certain days there are street markets that sell fruit, vegetables, meat and fish, and bread of every size and shape. These markets are mostly outside the tourist areas, and will only be found while wandering from here to there. As best we remember, the fruit market near the Rialto Bridge is open almost every day.

Everyone knows the value of real estate depends on location, location, location — the same thing holds true for shopping in Venice. On more than one occasion we’ve found the price of tablecloths, Venetian glass, and Venetian beads depends on where we shop. Once Emmy found the exact same very fancy tablecloth for $75 at the Rialto Bridge, $130 in St. Mark’s Square, and $103 at a store in between.

We found a similar difference in price for other objects, in other years.