To Venice Again

Because of the trip to Celle, I was unable to go to Switzerland with my roommates that weekend. So instead, I grouped together with two of my guy friends, who had also had class trips, and decided to make a weekend out of Venice and Verona.

Visiting Venice again was like seeing an old friend: charming, magical, and comforting. Knowing my way around from when I visited with my parents before the semester started, I acted as guide through the winding streets of the canal-ridden city.

We started the day with a quick cup of coffee and then made our way to the Rialto bridge. One of my favorite aspects of this trip was that we took the time to just be still and take in the scenery. Backpacks on (and mine with a travel lock), we leaned against the railing of the Rialto and looked out at the water of the Grand Canal. Venice truly is breathtaking.

Next we headed toward Piazza San Marco, which puts all of the piazzas in dear Firenze to shame. Once again, I entered the basilica and was taken by its golden ceiling. Then we decided to really wander.

Our wandering led us to il Museo della Musica. This free museum, located in the former Church of San Maurizio, shows a small collection of instruments (some dating back to the 1600s). Classical music fills the air as you walk around to see oboes, guitars, violins, and more. It didn't take more than fifteen minutes to see the whole thing, but I thought it was worth going in.

Finding an empty street after il Museo della Musica, we decided to sit by the water and talk. In fact, one of the things that we (David, Sean, and I) remember most fondly of our trip is the long discussions we had in the beautiful setting.

We walked a little more and then made our way to the vaporetto stop that would take us to Lido. In an effort to find cheaper accommodations for the trip, we decided to stay on the beach island. And we all ended up being so glad that we did.