Eurotrip Part III: Venezia, throwing money off a yacht.

We boarded the train in the evening, ready for a long night with minimal shut eye. The bunks were pretty funny. It wasn't actually possible to sit up in the train car, so we had to lie down. Here's Lexi settling in to read to me from Rick Steves.

Later in the night, two German guys joined our train car. They were really funny. In German, Venice is pronounced Venitch. One guy also told us it was good to be with a friend and leave your woman for a couple days. We knew he meant "wife" but it was still funny. It was also pretty strange that I never saw their faces. From the bottom bunk, I could really only see up to their stomachs.

After a fitful night of creaking train sleep, we arrived in Venice. The sun was shining, the water was blue and after the gray skies of Vienna, we were in Heaven.



My girls in the sunshine: Alexis, Erin, Lexi, and Grace

Rick Steves informed us a good introduction to Vienna is to take the boat bus from the train station to San Marco.

This picture courtesy of Lexi Calcado.

Rialto Bridge.

Gondolas! We didn't go in one--too expensive, but they were fun to watch.



Palace on the water.

We got off the water boat at San Marco, the famous cathedral with interesting Islamic influence evident in the dome style.



It was under a little construction. They were probably hoping to get it done before tourist season is in full swing. That's a lot of tourists for it not being tourist season, you say? Indeed. Welcome to Venice.

There are my girlies in Piazza San Marco.

Other highlights of Venice:

Pizza faces!

Alleyways!


Shopping!

Canal stink! (This picture idea was conceived by Lexi Calcado)

Italian food! At one place they tried to convince us that service was not included and we should tip. You have to be savvy here if you don't want to be ripped off. Fortunately, Oxford students are capable of figuring out that "servicio" probably means service.

Bridge of Sighs. In order to walk on it, you have to go in this museum. This bridge afforded a convict's last view of Venice before imprisonmnet. We have a copy in Oxford:


Ani and I are making a wish under it. Mine came true. We'll get to Ani and Kaija's visit later though.

Our one and only night in Venice, Mike Yohai met us for a pub crawl.


Yohai, and the ladies ready to drink on every bridge...


Pub crawl group picture: priceless. Thanks, Lexi.

The next day we went to Murano:

Beautiful.


Murano is famous for glass-blowing. We saw a demonstration.

Then we found a playground.



We never wanted to leave...

Notes on Visiting Venezia

Venice is beautiful. It will make you feel like throwing money of a yacht just because you can (except we couldn't because we're poor college students). The city is small. Rick Steves encouraged us to get lost and we did. You can't get too far on an island so you can always find your way back to somewhere you recognize. Eat and shop a lot but look out for rip-offs. Venice is and always has been the world's greatest tourist trap, and the people who live and work here know it and will take advantage of you if you let them. Don't expect to escape the "touristy" areas of Venice, because you are looking for the authentic Venetians. Embrace the fact that authentic Venice IS touristy and it's sinking so you better enjoy it while it lasts. Snap lots of pictures, all of them will come out beautiful.

At the end of the day, Venice wore us out and we were ready to see Florence.