We went into St. Mark's Basilica and admired all the detail within (but unfortunately couldn't take any pictures.) Then we went to the Doge's Palace. This was the seat of the Venetian government and home of the duke. The most interesting parts to us were the prisons and the Bridge of Sighs, named such because it's where prisoners got their last view of Venice, and supposedly they would let out a sigh. We couldn't take pictures inside here either, but we took a couple of the courtyard.
We left the square and set off in search of lunch. Timing is tough in Italy for lunch. A lot of places close early afternoon and don't open again until the evening, but we stumbled upon Trattoria Ai Fabbri. The door was propped open and we saw some other people having lunch inside.
We were in the mood for pasta. Jeff got the gnocchi Bolognese. It was a tiny bit gummy but good otherwise. I really enjoyed the sauce. It was especially tasty with a little Parmigiano-Reggiano sprinkled on top.
I had tortellini with prosciutto in a cream sauce. It was very rich but incredibly delicious too. Our waitress was friendly and attentive, and overall it was a good find.
Next up: Day 2 -- Venice (Evening)