so, i realize it has been far too long and there are many adventure stories i need to tell. that is why i am pulling myself away from my copious amounts of captivating homework just to write a blog. i know, big sacrifice (don't worry mom and dad, i will return to my homework eventually).
a week and a half ago, paula and i flew to the beautiful city of venice on the northern shores of italy. venice is the city that i wanted to make sure i saw while i was studying abroad. in my mind, it was always a magical city unlike any other; full of water and beautiful houses and gondolas. and let me tell you, it didn't disappoint. as we crossed the only bridge leading onto the island, i was straining to catch my first glimpse through the bus windows. we stepped of the bus and one of the very first things we saw was the grand canal. it was a sight to behold. we decided that the first thing we wanted to do was take a vaporetto (water taxi) up the grand canal all the way to san marco. much to my delight, we were able to sit outside on the boat. as we started up the canal, i felt like i didn't have enough eyes to see everything i wanted to. everywhere i looked, there was something exciting to see. my camera didn't even have a chance. don't get me wrong, i got some great pictures of the city, but i don't think that they can in any way compare to what i was actually seeing with my own eyes.
if it was possible, my excitement doubled when i saw my very first gondola, complete with a gondoleer in a black and white striped shirt, black pants, and straw-like, flat hat. i think the gondolas fascinated me the entire weekend. there is just something very magical about all of these little boats making their way through the waterways of the city.
the only transportation on the island is boats and walking. alleyways are water and there are boats that are parked throughout. there were doorways and staircases that led directly into the water and little bridges connect all of the neighborhoods on the island. the sunlight dancing off of the water made it look like there were thousands of little gems scattered throughout the canals. it brought back memories of summers at the lake. i think my love for the city may in part be due to the fact that i grew up in the land of ten thousand lakes...
we made it up the grand canal and landed at san marco. san marco is a huge piazza enclosed by shops tucked behind a series of colonnades. it was breathtaking. to top it off, there was a little band playing music in the background. very surreal. there were also pigeons everywhere. seriously. it was a little ridiculous. and the thing was was that people were trying to get the pigeons to land on them. there was a kid who just had a pigeon chillin out on the top of his head. apparently he's never had the traumatic experience of a pigeon pooping on his head. fortunately i must have made some sort of peace with the pigeons because i did not get pooped on (thank you very much mary...). either that or the pigeons are just nicer in venice then they are in new york city.
we went inside the san marco basilica next. there were gold mosaics covering every surface of the ceiling. and i mean EVERY surface. it was amazing. and to think that it was all done such a long time ago.
we spent the next day and a half just wandering the city. we got lost many a time, but hey, we were on an island, so we really couldn't get that far. the signage in the city leaves a little to be desired. okay, it leaves a lot to be desired. it's pretty bad. and i'm not even just being a graphic design nerd and complaining about the signage. they even sell t-shirts on the island that make fun of the signage. it became like a game when we were actually trying to find our way back to the buses. we would see who could spot the next sign. it was actually kind of fun, now that i think about it. it was like where's waldo, but without waldo and his red and white shirt.
i also enjoyed all of the little shops we wandered through. murano, a little island off of venice, is known for it's glass, so needless to say, there may have been some glass purchases. as i was flipping through my photos, which actually takes quite a while because i took A LOT of photos, i came across a very familiar picture. in painting class my sophomore year of high school, we were asked to find a picture and paint it. i found a picture of venice in a national geographic and decided to paint that (yes, my obsession with venice goes back that far). so i now have an almost exact photograph of my painting that is hanging on the wall in the den at home. weird.
we also celebrated halloween while in venice. well, celebrated may not be the exact right word. but don't worry, i ate candy. there were also some kids running around in halloween outfits. apparently they trick or treat at stores in venice. we noticed that there were a lot of witches. paula also gave me a piece of candy, so i also got some free candy. yay halloween. now, to end this rather long blog, i've decided to sum up venice in a few words. magical. romantic. calming. breathtaking. beautiful.
that is all.
oh, and here are some pics:
fall in venice.
gondolas!!
waterway.
gondolas and the rialto bridge.
my first view of the grand canal.
please don't eat that.
boats.
oh venice.
look closely at this one parents. look familiar?
san marco.