Venezia!

A two-hour train ride brings me from Bologna to Venice. I know that because Michael and I took it this past Saturday. We met up with Christen and Lenore (studying in Austria this semester) in the Piazza di San Marco and let the good times roll.

Venice is a city that has discovered the art of being beautiful. I can say this because even the parts of the city that are not as new or as clean as they used to be are astoundingly pituresque. It must be the water that does it. Canals are just much prettier to look at than streets. And much quieter. Instead of car motors, the ambient noise in Venice is produced by the thousands of tourists. But every once in a while, you come upon a curvy street so thin you can't turn sideways while wearing a backpack, and you find the closest thing to silence that exists in Venice. And you also realize you must be going the wrong way to the Rialto bridge, because there isn't a horde of visitors carrying you along with it.

We tried to see the Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosi dei Frari, but when we entered they told us they were closing and wouldn't sell us a ticket to see the church. However, looking at the schedule for the church, we saw that there was a Mass in forty-five minutes. Perfect, because we had wanted to go to Mass! So we waited, andupon re-entering the church we were questioned as to our motives. Yes, we are going to Mass. And what a lovely liturgy. Not only did the celebrant talk slowly enough for my to understand, but there was also breathtaking artwork everywhere you looked: Titian's "Assumption of the Virgin" was displayed right behind the altar.

We didn't take a gondola, but the bus-boat system worked perfectly, and was much lighter on our wallets. Taking the #1 from the train station to Piazza San Marco, you see much of the city, and slowly enough to take it all in.

Sunday morning, we went to the Basilica di San Marco, but were disappointed to discover that the day they chose to be closed was Sunday morning. And that wasn't because there was Mass, either. So, we went up the Bell Tower instead. I must admit I was a little skeptical, just because it's so tourist-y and I felt like I could get the same view from Google Earth. I was wrong. If there is one city you need to see from it's highest point, it's Venice. The mix of land and water, blue sea and orange tiles, is astounding. I'll put picture up soon.

All in all, I very much enjoyed visiting Venice. However, I couldn't imagine living there. I was very glad to get back to my wide (never thought I'd call them that!) bolognese streets.

Signed, the Sengenblogger