A trip to northern Italy wouldn't be complete without this city. Partly because it's so unique, partly because it'll be gone soon- I read that it's sinking slowly into the ocean. (So much so that next month, the city is going to start charging a tourist tax to collect money to stave off the water.)
When my host family asked about my trip the night before, Giulia piped up and begged me to take her with me. I lamely tried to give excuses about departing at 6:30am and biking for a half hour to the subway stop, but she didn't care. Honestly, I like exploring alone, and I didn't really feel like being responsible for another person, but Giulia was not to be deterred. So we became Venetian travel buddies.
Strolling around Venice is like strolling around a movie set. It does not seem like anything around you is real, even if you stick your hand into the water. There are no cars, no bikes, just boats and people walking everywhere. It's amazing and completely unlike anything I've ever seen before.
The people are incredibly nice too. Well, the biggest industry in the city is tourism, so obviously they have to be nice, but it's crazy how they can stay so cheerful in streets that are packed with people with cameras and uncomely American accents.
Giulia and I did a bunch of the touristy things: we checked out the Piazza San Marco, the fabulously ornate Basilica, rode to the top of the Campanille to see the cityscape, poked around the Rialto Market and admired the views from the steps of the Palazzo Ducale. We also tried to get lost away from the crowds (very easy to get lost there) and discovered this little shop in a deserted street called La Fenice. It looked like Mr. Olivander's shop fom Harry Potter (maybe a little brighter) with leather bound books and wax seal stamps and masques instead of wands. And- believe it- la fenice in Italian means... the phoenix AKA Dumbledore's trusty pet. And to top it all off, there was another shop with a masque of Potter himself.
So there's no doubt that Venice is a magical city. Getting lost in the maze of streets was one of the best parts about our day trip. And a Venetian gondola ride? Psh, we didn't even think about it- the standard price is 85 euros. We heard some gondolier offering a "cheap discount" to a skeptical tourist of 65 euros. Are you kidding? Take the Vaporetto (basically a water bus) for 2 euros and see the entire city on the Grand Canal.
No more days off in Italy. :( I've got 2 days left here, then I'm off to Paris and Dublin!
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