Leaving Venice

I am now in hotel number four, in Ravenna. We left Venice bright an early this morning on a water taxi just like the ones we rode in on. Sunny, perfect weather didn’t make it any easier to leave this crazy sinking water city.

           

Highlights of Venice:

1)    My roommate Jackie. What an amazing, caring, wonderful person in my life! Of all the reasons why I came to Italy, I think the top is to meet and form relationships with new people, people I normally wouldn’t hang out with because of differing majors/friend groups/living situations. Jackie was a quality roomie, especially when she was convinced, in her sleep, that I was her mom.

2)    Our tour guide Guido. The patience and unassuming nature that man has is something I strive for every day! And he was hilarious. When the group took a boat to the small island of Torcello, we visited a stone “throne” that was supposedly Attila the Hun’s. There is a legend that if you sit on that chair, you will be married to the love of your life in a year. So Guido took it upon himself to sit in the chair, surrounded by all the girls on the trip.

3)    The roof of San Giorgio Maggiore. The quiet, simple, and stoic nature of the inside of this church was something I already liked when I walked inside, but I fell in love with this building the moment I we were able to walk on the roof. It was a perfect late afternoon, and the views were indescribable. On one side you could see nearly all of Venice, and on the other was a pure expanse of blue ocean.

4)    The Church of Saint Mark. The gold mosaics of the walls and ceiling of this structure are everywhere and overwhelming.

5)    People dressing up in masks and costumes to get ready for Carnival. Carnival is actually going on next week I believe, but a lot of people were already wearing their masks and capes (think Casanovas everywhere) to get ready for it.

6)    Running to bakeries, gelato shops, or coffee shops with people after dinner and tasting other people’s goodies.

7)    Taking walks with people like my Katie Love down the main canal and talking about life.

8)    The fact that Venice floods. The high tide occurs twice a day, and that doesn’t necessarily mean that Venice floods twice a day, but it does affect the water levels significantly. I only saw water bubbling up late at night, but what a strange sight it was. Instead of the water spilling over the sides of the canals, it actually bubbles up all over the city from vents that are specifically designed for that purpose. You can sit close to Saint Mark’s Square and watch the water slowly cover it. The water then goes back into the canals through the same holes.

9)    All the hundreds (well, it seemed as though there were hundreds) of all the little bridges going over every tiny canal. Looking down every canal from these bridges gets you a perfect picture every time.

10) The bells coming through our windows in our rooms. There is just something about ringing church bells...

After we left Venice we made a quick pit stop to Padua, the home of Europe’s second oldest university. I really loved the little bit of Padua we saw, and I wish we could have stayed longer. It is much less touristy than Venice, with cobblestone streets, residents on bikes, and Padua University students walking around everywhere. The highlights of this day trip were touring the world’s first operation theater (med school students who watched their teacher operate on a dead body), and the Scrovegni Chapel. The chapel is small and simple, but covered from floor to ceiling with frescoes by the famous Italian artists Giotto. My favorite part is the ceiling: bright blue and covered with stars.

It’s nearly midnight and we have a full day touring Ravenna tomorrow. We’ll be here for two nights, then it is off to Assisi, then Siena! I miss you all bunches. Let me know about any updates with you guys.

Much love to you all!