on the way to venice...

we got up thursday morning and hustled to the bus stop. the bus seemed to take its time getting us to the train station, as we got there right as the announcement ran over the intercom that the train to venice was ready for departure. the girls start jogging while i limp my way down to our car. we pile in, get situated, and off we go.

for much of the trip, the girls are hollerin' at me, "shh! you'll draw attention to us," really to no avail. (that just gives me cause to do it longer and louder - 'ello, 'ello - but they haven't figured that out yet...) so, we're ready for our 2:30 trip to venice, and they need to practice. they're ringing their imaginary bells, listening to the music on the ipod, and i hear kelli breathing, "and-one-and-two-and-three-and-four-and-one-and..." she doesn't realize it, but i'm more embarrassed in that moment than i'll ever be walking around with red toenails! hahaha...everyone in the choir will be glad to know they practiced, though!

once we arrive in venice, i check the times for saturday, when we need to go to treviso airport, so we can plan our day accordingly. we buy our tickets to the airport and walk out. we're greeted with the grand canal. the beauty is astounding. again, nothing like any picture you've ever seen, any replica you may've happened upon. a charm all its own. i can't help but gaze across the water and then to myself, "wow. i'm in venice."

my folks came to italy after i made my trip two years ago. my dad and i were conversing about our travels, and we had a difference of opinion for florence. he hated it. i absolutely fell in love with it. their vacation was of italy, mine split time in germany as well, so they went more places than i did. he told me about how beautiful venice was, and told me that it was his second favorite city in the world, the first being paris. i get to judge his opinion on this trip, as i'll be visiting both!

we're staying on an out-lying island, where the venice film festival is held, in lido. we get our bus and boat passes, then make our way to the hotel. after a moment of confusion, we make it. lido is much quieter than the busy streets of venice, reminding me of sorento when i visited a couple of years ago. we grab a bite to eat then stroll up to see what the main drag has to offer, which includes gelato, of course, walking all the way to the beach. yes, the beach! the other side of the island butts up against the adriatic sea, i think. some salty body of water, that much i know...

at lunch, where we had the tastiest balsamic vinegar so far on the trip, we decide to go up in the bell tower, st. mark's basilica, and the doge palace. unfortunately, our walking around lido only allowed us to make the bell tower (which, in retrospect, was silly, because it was open until 9:00 and the doge's palace's ticket offices closed at 6:00, which we missed by three minutes).

what comes instead? c'mon! i'm travelling with women here - shopping. so we walk around checking the shops for the venetian glass and masks and goodies and such. we're about to find something to eat, when a gondolier stops us in front of a bridge.

again, back to my pops, he told me that the gondola rides are way expensive, but well worth the experience. he told me to just take the hit and do it.

our gondolier told us that they had three prices for three different tours: the grand tour, the good tour, and the crappy tour. 120€, 100€, and 80€. we tell him that we want to go for about an hour, and the girls had me decide. i gave them an out: "are you both good with 40€ a piece?" the answer was yes, so we went on the big'un.

when i get a chance to upload some pictures, i'll include some from this experience. kelli was nervous of falling in, but got to go first. then i followed. when i hopped down, the gondola rocked and kelli shrieked. she had the benefit of sitting next to me for the duration. little erika was the balance to the boat, you know, to try and distribute the weight? yeah, right!

so, we set off, head to the grand canal, and back the little canals of venice. we get a decent oral history by giovanni (that's probably not his name, but we can't remember it, so i named him giovanni - after a kid that sam and i met when we were in florence waiting in line at the uffizi, i hope he doesn't mind). "that casanova's house." "that's where marco polo lived." "oy! oy! blahblahblah!" (when we were rounding corners he'd holler his spiel.) "the city's not sinking, the water's rising." "the griffin flag is very important to us, signifying st. mark, our patron saint." he told us about their shirts - the original garb was the black or red and white striped shirts, but that they would wear a white button-up shirt over in the summer, black in the winter.

we took a good many pictures, then i just laid back. as this was not a romantic journey, we did not pay to have him sing. maybe some honey'll want to come visit with me in the future to get the full experience? hell, yes, she will!

after our ride, giovanni directed us towards a restaurant, rivetta. the food was really good, but our waiter was the best we've encountered, in my humble opinion. he was cracking jokes, having a great time.

back to my conversation with my dad...there is definitely something magical about venice, a place all its own. there's no other place in the world like this. still, though, the accessibility and intimacy continues to draw me to florence. there are many moments of introspection there that i haven't found anywhere else.

after dinner, we head back to lido. i go in search of an internet cafe (gotta keep y'all in the loop!) to no avail (sleepy town - closes down pretty early). so, i grab a beer and watch the sunset. the girls go to the hotel, then for a walk. i get back before they do, and cash out before they even get in the room...i felt sorry for them...almost...