Video Games Live Denver 2018

I had a fantastic time this past weekend singing in Video Games Live.  I'm not a gamer but some of the music and images this weekend made me wish I were!  Here are some links to the videos people posted of the event!This was a set from World of Warcraft. Great music!

Here is another set from Halo!   Halo Video Games Live

A Day in Venice!

Ok, in time I will learn to make the appearance of my blog's more interesting.   We stayed in the Royal San Marco Hotel - found it online using Kayak and we couldn't have asked for a more fabulous place to stay.  The rooms were nice, a little on the small side, but clean with nice bathrooms and perfect for what we were looking for!   They also had a great breakfast and the location was amazing - basically you walked about 100 feet off San Marco square and you were at the hotel!  The staff was really nice and the other guests really friendly.  This is a view out the side of the hotel!  

On this trip we did something that I haven't done on other trips.   We signed up for a walking tour of the city.  It was a great idea.  Our tour guide was a gentleman from Venice and he was thoroughly enjoyable   He took us through the various markets, talked a bit about the history of the city and then the tour ended with a short gondola ride.  Above you see me in a selfie on the grand canal!  

David Hodel at the Grand Canal in Venice!   We had a really good tour that ended with a ride in a Gondola on the Grand Canal!

With our hotel we received a complimentary boat ride to Murano where the glass factories are.  First of all - it was lots of fun to have our own private boat ride to the island - and once there the tour of the factory was great.  Yes, I ended up purchasing a glass that used some of the techniques that they showed us on the tour.  

This glass horse was made in front of us - it looks to be cool, but when he touched a piece of paper to it  the paper burst into flames from the residual heat in the glass!

A video demonstrating Milefiori!

Venice

So we arrived in Venice in the late afternoon.  What better way to orient oneself to a new city than to go for a walk!  And we did.  We headed out into the mild evening into San Marco square and enjoyed the beauty of Venice at night!

Below you can see the famous bell tower and facade of St. Mark's in Venice.  In the evening the square was filled with people enjoying a cup of coffee or playing with toys that lit up when you flew them in the air.

The first morning I got up early to enjoy the morning light on the city.  It was amazing because there were almost no people out at all!  So I walked past St. Marks and down to the waterfront on the Grand Canal.  Unfortunately it was also a bit too early for coffee anyplace so I had to wait until breakfast at the hotel.  But it was worth the wait, the coffee machine made all sorts of fancy coffees from Mocha to Espresso!   

Morning on the waterfront!   Sunrise in Venice - by David Hodel

Across the water you can see San Giorgio Maggiori.  We didn't make a trip over to the island, I guess you have to save something for the next trip : )

This is a view across the water - the gondolas are all in their slips waiting for the new day!  Again, it was amazing to basically have the city to myself and enjoy the beauty of the morning light!