Vado a Venezia

In general, my pictures from Venice did not turn out as well as those from my previous trips. So you, my fair reader, will be spared from another picture spam. As I have already told some of you, I found Venice to be exactly what I expected: ridiculously touristy, obnoxiously crowded, pigeon-infested, yet still, absurdly charming. It is hard to turn a corner without wandering into another idyllic photo opportunity. However, it is also just hard to turn a corner, because there are so many flipping people. I can't imagine what the city is like in the height of tourist season.

This was my first time this trip experiencing other American tourists, as we witnessed two women from South Carolina spend about 5 minutes pestering the Italian washroom attendant about their bowel movements, and complaining about the lack of public restrooms in the city. In all honesty, they were talking down to her like she was about 5 years old, and if I were her, I wouldn't have responded to them either. However, I think I learned some good new Italian curse words from her. So overall, a helpful experience for me. (This picture of Piazza San Marco fails to convey the hoards of people. I just really like that girl's sunglasses. Reminder to me: go look for a similar pair.)

We went to Venice on a Sunday just for the day. We caught a very early train, which unfortunately left us all a bit exhausted for the rest of the day. We didn't make it to most of the museums, but instead spent our time just wandering around the city, sitting by the water eating gelato, and touring San Marco's Basilica.

We weren't allowed to take flash photography so please excuse the quality of the photograph. It in no way does the Basilica justice. It is truly beautiful. The whole building glows. It's the most famous church in Venice and considered one of the best examples of preserved Byzantine architecture in Italy. I won't bore you with more history, but I'm glad I spent the extra money to go through the small museum upstairs. I find mosaics a fascinating artistry, and the church is famous for its collection. I lit a candle for each of my grandparents and wondered when my life became so entirely divorced from religion. I know the reasons behind it, but considering my upbringing, it was strange to realize I couldn't recount the last time I stepped inside a church.

On a less self-indulgent note, those gondolas right there? 80 euros a pop for less than an hour. You want them to sing? Play accordion? That's another 30. Romantic, no doubt, but certainly impractical. We did see one couple getting rather amorous in one, (in broad daylight) so I guess they do have their purpose. We also wandered around the edges of the Rialto food markets, sampled some exceptional hot peppers, and learned about the delicacy of cuttlefish ink.

I lied, more pictures. I wish I knew anything about this building but I couldn't find any information. If you have any, please share.