Our most recent and most wonderful of all adventures was Venice Italy. I think I've decided that the way to travel is to take breaks in between. Maybe it was just because Venice was so wonderful but it seems that I enjoyed it a whole lot more than when we were on the cruise and had so much to see and do in so little time. It was just so fast that I didn't even have time to reflect on the things I saw and experienced and we were onto the next one. I guess I just had a chance to appreciate this trip. The anticipation, research, down time while you're there to take it in, and time to reflect afterwards...all of that makes a trip memorable.
Italians are loud. Italians are a very pretty people. Italians know how to dress themselves...and especially their children. So many times I thought..."I need to find that for when we have kids!!". I didn't find anything. I loved the people, I loved the language, I loved the architecture, I loved the coffee...and it was all on water! People buon giorno-ing back and forth out of their windows; out of their beyond beautiful windows that were on a one of a kind vicolo(if I'm not mistaken that is what they call their narrow streets) only they aren't really streets at all...they are canals! And sometimes a sidewalk. Women suspended outside their windows hanging their laundry on the clothesline. Talking loudly all the while, of course. Gondola men exchanging a few words as they row down a very narrow canal.They had to duck their heads on some of the smaller bridges. Every shop window held something of interest on the other side. Every alley (or vicolo) was worthy of a second glance. Every door and window even were valuable enough for a picture....ok maybe not a picture but at least a moment of admiration. Just beautiful...exactly like the movies portray it to be. I was so happy to simply be walking the streets. The views, the sounds; there was so much going on. There were quite a bit of squares in the city. Just a large open area with fountains and benches and outdoor restaurant seating usually. This is where the locals hung out it seemed. In the squares is where the mommies came and let their kids run free. Away from the water...makes sense. They sip on their cappuccinos as their boys kick soccer balls around and the girls...they would carry bags of confetti and toss it up in the air for fun. It was so interesting to me. I was wondering why all the squares were covered in confetti. I thought "it can't be from new years, it's almost Feb.". Coffee shops? There were a plenty; which were lively during the day. The same goes for wine bars at night.
Our weekend passed too quickly, we enjoyed it greatly! I especially liked having a couple coffees a day. Interesting little fact: Drinking coffee at the counter was half the price compared to if you were to sit at a table! And the premade food in the windows...about 1 euro cheaper.That's what they do for the locals I take it...but we knew their tricks. I will miss those Italians and their exchanges of the ciaos and arrivedercis from a few shops away. I would definitely visit again. We were just a few days shy of when they have their annual carnival. When they have a huge citywide party and people all wear masks! Lasts about 2 weeks I think. How fun would that be? Next time we're in Venice it'll be during carnival.
Italians are loud. Italians are a very pretty people. Italians know how to dress themselves...and especially their children. So many times I thought..."I need to find that for when we have kids!!". I didn't find anything. I loved the people, I loved the language, I loved the architecture, I loved the coffee...and it was all on water! People buon giorno-ing back and forth out of their windows; out of their beyond beautiful windows that were on a one of a kind vicolo(if I'm not mistaken that is what they call their narrow streets) only they aren't really streets at all...they are canals! And sometimes a sidewalk. Women suspended outside their windows hanging their laundry on the clothesline. Talking loudly all the while, of course. Gondola men exchanging a few words as they row down a very narrow canal.They had to duck their heads on some of the smaller bridges. Every shop window held something of interest on the other side. Every alley (or vicolo) was worthy of a second glance. Every door and window even were valuable enough for a picture....ok maybe not a picture but at least a moment of admiration. Just beautiful...exactly like the movies portray it to be. I was so happy to simply be walking the streets. The views, the sounds; there was so much going on. There were quite a bit of squares in the city. Just a large open area with fountains and benches and outdoor restaurant seating usually. This is where the locals hung out it seemed. In the squares is where the mommies came and let their kids run free. Away from the water...makes sense. They sip on their cappuccinos as their boys kick soccer balls around and the girls...they would carry bags of confetti and toss it up in the air for fun. It was so interesting to me. I was wondering why all the squares were covered in confetti. I thought "it can't be from new years, it's almost Feb.". Coffee shops? There were a plenty; which were lively during the day. The same goes for wine bars at night.
When looking up things to see/do in Venice "getting lost" was on every list. Well we crossed that one off our list within 10 mins of getting off our bus. It was a bit frustrating at the moment, trying to find our hotel with our bags and to add to the fun...we hadn't eaten since breakfast and it was 10ish pm. Looking back...it was nice.:) when I asked our hotel man for a better map than what we had he said "in Venice you're lost in 5 mins, with a map you're lost in 10". Very truly spoken hotel man. We spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out where we were. The streets...so small. The canals...look the same. And bridges....just one of 450!
We really enjoyed our 4 days of enchantment. Did a lot of walking and saw pretty much every site possible. We went to a few museums and we went to a theatre production! We learned all sorts of things about Venice at the show like the famous venetian masks all began when people would wear masks to protect themselves from the black plague! Interesting right? Learned all about the city's promiscuity and Casanova. He wasn't alone he had a buddy lord Byron, who claimed to have 200 different women in 200 nights. I guess it was a common thing to do.
We really enjoyed our 4 days of enchantment. Did a lot of walking and saw pretty much every site possible. We went to a few museums and we went to a theatre production! We learned all sorts of things about Venice at the show like the famous venetian masks all began when people would wear masks to protect themselves from the black plague! Interesting right? Learned all about the city's promiscuity and Casanova. He wasn't alone he had a buddy lord Byron, who claimed to have 200 different women in 200 nights. I guess it was a common thing to do.
Our weekend passed too quickly, we enjoyed it greatly! I especially liked having a couple coffees a day. Interesting little fact: Drinking coffee at the counter was half the price compared to if you were to sit at a table! And the premade food in the windows...about 1 euro cheaper.That's what they do for the locals I take it...but we knew their tricks. I will miss those Italians and their exchanges of the ciaos and arrivedercis from a few shops away. I would definitely visit again. We were just a few days shy of when they have their annual carnival. When they have a huge citywide party and people all wear masks! Lasts about 2 weeks I think. How fun would that be? Next time we're in Venice it'll be during carnival.
We took a ton of pictures that are up on our photobucket...take a looksie. The link is in a few of our previous posts.
A couple more things of interest:
Floating farmers market was a hoot.
Garbage day was very amusing.
Fed ex guys had it way tough.
Construction was waayyy more complex than on land.
And I'm pretty sure we found Gepetto's shop. And he was inside! What a treat!:)
A couple more things of interest:
Floating farmers market was a hoot.
Garbage day was very amusing.
Fed ex guys had it way tough.
Construction was waayyy more complex than on land.
And I'm pretty sure we found Gepetto's shop. And he was inside! What a treat!:)
