Sunday, September 13, 2009
Half an hour after having first met my future roommate on the train from the airport to Rome, Sarah Dearman and I made a pact to visit Venice and ride a gondola. I’ve only been in Italy for 13 days, but I can proudly say: mission accomplished.
Very early on Friday morning our apartment rushed out to the bus stop where we caught a bus to the first of two trains that eventually landed us in Mestre around 1:30pm. While most of our group stayed in a hostel in the city center, Daniela, Sarah, and I chose to spend only one night right outside of the city. We took a ten minute train ride into Venice and from there, we walked. And walked. And walked.
The city is beautiful. Everywhere you turn there is another shop or stand that is full of brilliantly blown glass pieces and truly marvelous masks. We spent the afternoon window shopping and wandering, getting lost in the maze of side streets and alleys. We finally managed to find our way to the famous Piazza San Marco where the number of people was only dwarfed by the number of pigeons. I don’t know much about architecture, but the palace, the clock tower, and, most of all, the basilica are breathtaking.
Around 6:00, we met up with the rest of the group and 6 of us agreed to swallow the enormous cost and ride a gondola. It took three tries, but we managed to find a young gondolier who chased us down and offered to take us all for about 15 euros a head. Alvin, our handsome gondolier, was a typical Italian man, laying on the charm and even stealing a kiss under the Bridge of Sighs from one girl in our group. I attempted to steer the boat myself and quickly learned why it is so difficult to become a gondolier. Trust me, it’s harder than it looks.
We found our other friends, grabbed dinner, and headed to a bar where we sat outside and talked, enjoying the beautiful surroundings. I can’t say it enough: this semester is simply surreal.
Around midnight, Daniela, Sarah and I caught a train back to Mestre and were up early the next morning, back in Venice and wandering again. After the success of riding a gondola, we had no set plans and spent the day taking pictures and salivating in the windows of pastry shops. The ride home consisted of two train rides, a bus, and a taxi. It was a little stressful and a bit complicated, but we have successfully utilized Italian public transportation and I now feel much more comfortable traveling. Our last bus ride, however, it worth noting. We arrived in the practically abandoned train station in Empoli where we met a nice group from Vancover. After an hour wait, a very fancy bus pulled up to the station and a Soprano-like Italian man wearing a sharp gray suit and silver chains told us he was our ride to Siena. He then turned on the green overhead lights and turned up the soft-rock radio station. I am positive we were riding a party bus.
1:30 on Sunday morning we lugged our bags into our apartment and I have never been so excited to curl up in my little, lumpy bed.
Half an hour after having first met my future roommate on the train from the airport to Rome, Sarah Dearman and I made a pact to visit Venice and ride a gondola. I’ve only been in Italy for 13 days, but I can proudly say: mission accomplished.
Very early on Friday morning our apartment rushed out to the bus stop where we caught a bus to the first of two trains that eventually landed us in Mestre around 1:30pm. While most of our group stayed in a hostel in the city center, Daniela, Sarah, and I chose to spend only one night right outside of the city. We took a ten minute train ride into Venice and from there, we walked. And walked. And walked.
The city is beautiful. Everywhere you turn there is another shop or stand that is full of brilliantly blown glass pieces and truly marvelous masks. We spent the afternoon window shopping and wandering, getting lost in the maze of side streets and alleys. We finally managed to find our way to the famous Piazza San Marco where the number of people was only dwarfed by the number of pigeons. I don’t know much about architecture, but the palace, the clock tower, and, most of all, the basilica are breathtaking.
Around 6:00, we met up with the rest of the group and 6 of us agreed to swallow the enormous cost and ride a gondola. It took three tries, but we managed to find a young gondolier who chased us down and offered to take us all for about 15 euros a head. Alvin, our handsome gondolier, was a typical Italian man, laying on the charm and even stealing a kiss under the Bridge of Sighs from one girl in our group. I attempted to steer the boat myself and quickly learned why it is so difficult to become a gondolier. Trust me, it’s harder than it looks.
We found our other friends, grabbed dinner, and headed to a bar where we sat outside and talked, enjoying the beautiful surroundings. I can’t say it enough: this semester is simply surreal.
Around midnight, Daniela, Sarah and I caught a train back to Mestre and were up early the next morning, back in Venice and wandering again. After the success of riding a gondola, we had no set plans and spent the day taking pictures and salivating in the windows of pastry shops. The ride home consisted of two train rides, a bus, and a taxi. It was a little stressful and a bit complicated, but we have successfully utilized Italian public transportation and I now feel much more comfortable traveling. Our last bus ride, however, it worth noting. We arrived in the practically abandoned train station in Empoli where we met a nice group from Vancover. After an hour wait, a very fancy bus pulled up to the station and a Soprano-like Italian man wearing a sharp gray suit and silver chains told us he was our ride to Siena. He then turned on the green overhead lights and turned up the soft-rock radio station. I am positive we were riding a party bus.
1:30 on Sunday morning we lugged our bags into our apartment and I have never been so excited to curl up in my little, lumpy bed.
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