Viva Italia

Italia – Ciao Bella!!

I just got back from my week-long trip to Italy and it was aaamaazzinngg. We did a lot - Venezia, Firenze, and Roma - so I’ll break this up into 3 posts. In Italy overall we found out they have strange laws on construction – they can only do it certain years and times of the year – and we went during prime construction. So every famous basilica and building had tons of scaffolding, but it was still unbelievable to see.

Our first stop was Venice, and it was my absolute favorite city out the three. My Italian tour book described it as “disturbingly beautiful,” which at first I thought was an odd choice of words. But once there I realized what it meant – the humidity makes everything hazy so it’s almost dreamlike. It was like a storybook - small and charming. When we got there it was about 9:00 at night and we had no idea where to go – all we knew was that we needed to take a water taxi to the island of Lido where our hotel was. So not to freak out mom I’ll just say it was a nightmare, but after a long night we got to our hotel safely by 12:30amish. It was really nice and right on the water.

We woke up really early and got on our water taxi and headed towards the main parts of Venice – first stop Piazza San Marco. The water trip was amazing – all these little islands surrounded us filled with palm trees and buildings you’d see in an old Spanish movie. The Piazza is gorgeous and we couldn’t go into the Basilica because of the line, but it was beautiful to look at. We then put the map away and just started meandering through the little streets. Shops filled with beautiful Murano glass and jewelry were lined up one after the other, and windows were filled with Venetian masks and mannequins in stunning masquerade costumes. The streets were like little alleys and as you went along you’d come across a bridge over a waterway and beneath you would be a gondola trimmed in gold and velvet. The gondoliers would yell after me, “You! Blondy girl! Ride?” Since we wound through the streets I’m not exactly sure of all the famous sites we saw, but we popped into beautiful churches as we went – one was enormous on the inside and the pillars were covered in red velvet –I think it was San Stefano. It was just so much fun – you’d be in these narrow shady streets and then out of nowhere you’d be in this huge open piazza filled with music and people. The buildings were all reds and oragnes, and some were blues with the plaster peeling away to reveal red brick beneath. Lilacs were flowing over every wall so the city smelled of salt water and lilacs. All over are water fountains with water just flowing out into a pool, and people drank from them, but I wasn’t daring around.

Our first gelato was as amazing as they tell you – I got a vanilla with nutella mixed in for a euro. Then we got pizza for lunch – and Ireland doesn’t have good pizza so this was an unbelievable treat. It tasted like pizza on Arthur Ave, but better! A man was outside Chiesa San Rocco singing opera songs in a beautiful tenor voice as we ate. We then went to the beginning of the Grand Canal, hopped on a water taxi and took a tour for an hour. The water taxis are like subways, but on water with a great view of all the buildings and bridges. We then walked through this great market by the Ponte di Rialto which is a beautiful bridge that connects two huge sections of Venice. We then stopped for dinner at a cute outdoor restaurant and I got lasagna and a glass of the house red – delicious!!! But most restaurants charge you to sit and for the service, so we didn’t eat out much. We were pretty beat so we headed back to our island, and walked around Lido down to the beach and I’m not kidding, it was so humid and hazy you could barely see 100 ft. down the beach, but it didn’t feel gross – it just looked so mysterious. We then went to the other side of the island and sat on the canal at sunset and couldn’t believe where we were.

The next day was basically the same, but we went to the island of Murano where all the famous glass comes from. It was small and adorable and then we went back to Venice and strolled through the streets again. We had lucked out the day before by walking around early because in the afternoon those tiny streets are packed with people so you can barely move. We then went back to Lido and hung out on the beach for the afternoon. The water was so clear and it was so hot – something I haven’t experienced in Ireland and forgot about!!

I wish I could describe every minute but it’s just impossible. The people in Venice were so friendly and nice and spoke excellent English and were willing to help us with any question or directions. When they found out we were Americans they didn’t get that look of dollar signs in their eyes like everywhere else we’ve been – instead they just seemed intrigued and wanted to chat. Sunset each night was gorgeous – it’s really a city for lovers and Katie and I just watched all these couples with extreme envy. The water taxis and gondolas and speed boats are so much fun to watch, and the food was amazing. People stand around the piazzas dressed in masquerade costumes and masks posing for pictures and money – it’s a riot! The city is a breeze to walk – it takes maybe a half hour to walk from top to bottom and probably an hour side to side – but there is so much to stop and see!! I really loved it, and will without a doubt make it back there when I have money and someone to ride a gondola with!!