Sunday morning we got up, had our breakfast, and then headed for Venice — so we could attend a Gregorian chant service on Pentecost Sunday at San Giorgio Maggiore (church). The nice thing — the church is on an island a short distance from Venice. So, we boarded the vaporetto and headed over … 5 minutes later we were on land again in front of a church that was originally designed by Palladium (a famous local architect).
When we got into the church, an elderly, joyous aged priest greeted us. We didn’t know his name [I wanted to call him Simeon], but he walked constantly with his hands in the “I bless you” position and during the service seemed ready to break into sudden chorus of praise all alone. The officiating priest, a picture stolen from a stereotypical priest — the convent here is Benedictine — with bald head and nice monk’s brim, shone with a face of happiness. The service included the blessing of a couple for their 50th anniversay — but I failed to hear the Lord’s Prayer in the entire service. We followed along as best we could the Italian service sheet.

Now some pictures:
San Giorgio Maggiore Church in the background as I sit in the vaporetto and the church itself:

A typical restaurant and a typical couple on a typical bridge over a typical canal:

Monday morning we drive from Venice around Padua and Bologna to Florence (Firenze to the natives).