The Center of the Universe…
I am watching gondeliers float by my hotel terrace, their reflections in the mirror behind my monitor. It is calm today. Yesterday was a different story…
April 25th, Liberation Day in Italy…which meant, on top of Venice’s usual HEAPS of tourists, seemingly every Italian in the country came to Venice for the day. The streets, or I should say sidewalks, teemed with people. One could barely take 2 steps without bumping into someone, being bummed into or getting stuck in a human traffic jam. It wasn’t quite the scene I invisioned when I decided to come here.
Mom was a little overwhelmed by it all…the people, the buildings, the quartets playing symphony show tunes in Piazza San Marco. I simply longed to hide from the crowds…or avoid them by sipping wine at a cafe all day.
But we made it through day #1…wandering not too far from our well located hotel, and partaking in the decedence the city has to offer, by way of wine and pastry and other such things.
We also did a bit of shopping, though it was window shopping mostly. Mom bought me a lovely staionary set: monogrammed paper, brilliant ink and quill-style pen. I can’t wait to write gorgeous letters.
Ah yes…I must metion the gondola ride!
I knew before we got here that mom had here heart set on a gondola ride. I was nervous about getting her into the boat, to say the least…and when she saw the ‘docks’ she was too. Thankfully we avoided my worst fear of falling into the fetid canal…with the help of some rather lovely gondoliers, who all but carried her into the gondola. We cruised the canals for 30 minutes, learning a bit about the city and seeing some sights, including Marco Polo’s birthplace (which looks like any other little Venietian house.) And when the journey was over, the gondoliers were just as helpful getting mom back onto dry land. (At which point she said, “That was great….I’ll never do that again!”) It was definitely a highlight.
Today we’re off to Rialto Bridge, exploring the streets on the way there. And so, I must run… More when I can…
Tags: Italy
LizG
Phew! I was worried about her for a moment.
What’s next on the agenda?
Liz
talking of letters you should have one from me when you get home. The other GG says she cant read my writing so you might struggle a bit with it…..
Philip