Venice: Day 1

March 19th 2012

The alarm went off at 8am… my body was tired, but I was awake otherwise and ready to go. I got dressed and headed to the free breakfast! It was amazing! Hard boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, bacon, yogurt, cereal, rolls, cakes, croissants and more! It was amazing. I ate a lot because I knew it was going to be a long day, and the more I ate for free the less I had to buy at lunch! After I stuffed my face, Isabel and I headed down the molo where we had met everyone the day before. One thing that was awesome in Venice was that there was a sign that pointed to the Rialto or St Marks square at almost every corner! It was so easy to get around!

We met our group (ours was Andrews today) and since we were stuck with the undergrads (yes… stuck. Not by choice) we did a quick intro (masters and undergrads don’t really mingle/ acknowledge each other) There are 2 that I like (especially one of them!) but besides that they are really annoying, don’t pay attention, and wander off during our tour. Basically just rude and they never stop talking. Anyways… we introduced ourselves and when everyone had shown up we headed off to our first church of the day.

We ended up doing four churches that morning. Yes four. (San Zaccarias, San Giovanni, S. Maria Formosa, and then S. Maria Nova) I don’t remember much… they all ran together and it was a LONG morning. Check facebook for photos. At 12:30 we finally got a break. Our next meeting point for the afternoon was across the city, so we had a TWO hour lunch break! GAH! Isabel wandered over in that direction. We stopped and bought a Panini from a cart (and I used my Italian!) and it was SO SO good. YUM! And it was cheap. We meandered through the streets and I saw an awesome mask shop! We got over to our next place early so we got gelato and sat in the square. I fed the pigeons cheerios which they seemed to enjoy, but they kept getting them stuck on their beaks and I felt bad! They weren’t stuck long, but still!

Right at 2:30 it started to thunder and rain but it was perfect because we were heading inside to see a scuola. It was impressive with its gilded rooms, painted ceilings and walls. The undergrads were rude like always, but besides that it was good. I was starting to get tired though, and I think everyone else was too, but we had one more place to go… We stepped outside and the rain was gone. Instead the sun was shining and the sky was blue.

Our last stop was an old palace that was turned into a museum. It was ok.. nothing all that cool and by this time it was 3:30ish and we were all tired and ready to destroy the undergrads. It was torture! I didn’t pay much attention, and the hour and a half or so that we were there felt like a lifetime. Andrew droned on, the undergrads were more and more annoying and my feet/back were killing me. FINALLY he let us go (only because the museum closed at 5. Thank GOODNESS) Isabel and I started our long trek back to our hotel.

On the way back we passed the same shops and I bought my Venice magnet. (for those of you who don’t know I have a magnet collection and buy a magnet from every place I go) I bought a little gondala one and the people are holding hands. So cute! Then we stopped at the mask store that we had seen on the way there. I wandered around the store and wanted all the ones that were 75 euro. Not going to happen! I did find one I liked for a lower price and decided on that one! (again see facebook) After our shopping we headed back to the hotel and drank free prosecco and ate free cake/rolls/meat/cheese etc! Isabel and I sat and chatted with some of the girls and then went back to my room for tea again.

When Isabel left I headed to bed at about 10:30ish and didn’t hear Freya come in at all!