The next day we woke up fairly early to take the train to Venice, and got to our hostel by early afternoon. Our hostel was wonderfully situated in the side of a charismatic town square and about 10 minutes from the train station. We decided to go to the iconic Piazza San Marco and optimistically did not think we would need to buy a map. We were wrong. We quickly realized we needed some help. Even so, we spent more time looking at our newly purchased map and trying to find our way around than we spent sightseeing, but that was okay. I was really surprised to see how different a city Venice was compared to all the other towns I'd visited up to that point. There were absolutely no roads or cars. Just tiny little alleyways and a myriad of crisscrossing canals. All of the buildings, almost without exception, appeared at least one hundred years old and it was one of the few cities that seemed to have retained a sense of character.
On our second day we began sightseeing anew, making sure to bring our map, starting with a delicious lunch at a cafe in the piazza by our hostel. We didn't see a single McDonalds or Starbucks during our entire stay, and I thought it quite refreshing. After eating, we leisurely wandered through the maze-like alleys and over the nearly ubiquitous bridges that connect the city. There are no main boulevards there; instead, all of the roads are short, narrow things and you are forced to take a turn almost every minute. It was really fun to get a feel for the city as we ambled in and out of different mask shops. Yes, I realize that dozens of shops dedicated to paper mache masks sounds a litle corny, but these masks were awesome.
Masks are a part of Venetian heritage and tradition, dating back to the Commedia dell'arte and existing today via the two week carnival extravaganza that takes place every spring. The highlight of my day was easily the discovery of a bright orange jester mask. I had seen a couple similar ones, but they were either of the cheap, "made in China" variety or out of my price range. This one, however was my favorite and I was able to buy it for a bargain price. It is rare that I get excited over buying something, but this made my day. I can't help but smile whenever I put it on.
We ate dinner in our town square again, this time at a different but equally tasty restaurant. Yesterday, we walked to the Piazza San Marco again, but did not stay long as we were taking a "vaporetto" water ferry to the nearby island of Murano. This is the site of the world famous Murano glass and the entire island is dedicated to its creation and sale. We spent several hours drifting through galleries and shops, many with a particular style or specialty of glass. Literally every type of glass object imaginable was here, from chandeliers and chess sets to jewelry and tiny toy soldiers and animals. It was amazing how detailed some of the pieces were, and though I do not consider myself a dedicated shopper by any means, I did like looking at all of the swirling color combinations and 3D figures, particularly the ones where a fish was placed inside a cat's stomach or a fishbowl.
That evening we ate paninis at one of the city's many hole-in-the-wall restaurants and crossed over the Ponte de Rialto Bridge for the last time. It is Venice's most recognizable bridge, and for good reason. Its arch forms a triangular shape as it rises to a peak in the middle, allowing gondolas and water ferries to pass underneath. Personally, it seemed impossible to find a spot that was not picturesque. While Venice is simply too different to be compared to Florence, I like both of them equally well. Venice was definitely one of the towns I wish I could have spent more time in.
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