Nuns Can Have Adventures Too

Train ride in...

Mik and I landed in Marco Polo Airport, but the only hint of Venice on that foggy day was a gondola half sunk into a marsh. The only hint of Italy was a blown-up picture of Leonardo di Caprio outside the airport. Samuel pointed it out to all of us girls, and we granted him an obligatory “ah.” (And I decided airports are bad places to form conceptions of entire countries.)

So when we woke up early last Saturday morning, walked a couple miles to Casarsa and hopped on a train headed for the heart of Venice...I was just a little excited. Not only was it a welcome break from essay-writing, I couldn’t wait to see an ancient city I’ve read books and watched so many movies about.
It’s just like it is on the Travel Channel (haha). Meaning, amazing.

The one difference is that the day we were there was the slam-bang finish of Carnevale. Translation: it was crowded. Think Time Square on New Years Eve...then put all those people in narrow streets and in little piazzas and then fill up Saint Mark’s with thousands of people, some of whom are dressed up in a plethora of different costumes: decks of cards, Star Wars, The Wizard of Oz, Colonial and French Revolution inspired outfits, bunnies, bears, pirates, women dressed as men and men dressed as nuns. That’s not even scratching the surface.

For Mom

When we stepped out of the train station, the staff told us to split into groups and meet next to a certain tree by 7:15pm. There was no way we were going to be able to stay together, so might as well make an intentional split, was the reasoning. At that, Mik and I hooked arms, pointed ourselves in the direction of a bridge that crossed one of the larger canals, and set off into the crowds, into Venice.

Just us two, for the whole day.

They advised following the signs to “Piazza San Marco,” which we did, via a rather roundabout route that involved sneaking down dark, empty alleyways, staring into canals, smelling the warf-ish air, peering around corners, and buying fritelle, a popular Carnevale food (reminded me of beignets like we got with Michael and Jordan that once in Tallahassee, only lemon flavored). We stopped and danced to a man playing a piano accordion, and another man singing Italian opera classics under an archway. The way his voice carried was astounding.

It took probably two hours, but we finally made it to Saint Mark’s Square. We didn’t stay long. It was too crowded, and the empty streets that we knew were somewhere were calling to us. So after eating lunch on a gondolier’s dock, we set off deeper into the city, taking every street that led away from noisy celebrators and businesses until tourists were gradually replaced by locals. A little boy watching his dad use a bandsaw. Another on a skateboard. A bunch of kids playing ball in a courtyard that we dared to peak in and watch. Old women who smiled at our enthusiasm as we craned our necks up to see the blue sky at the tops of the buildings.

 We got miserably lost, but that had been my goal for the day so when we ran into an unknown body of water on who knows which side of the Island, and checked a map and couldn’t figure out our location or how to get back to to the train station for the life of us...

I rejoiced. Mission accomplished.

Not that it was that hard of a mission.

Getting un-lost took less than an hour, when we found ourselves near Saint Mark’s. From there, it was easy to follow the signs to the station. Getting there through all the swarms of people, on the other hand, was difficult. At some points we’d come to a complete halt, standing there smushed up against people in a narrow street, close enough to kiss (don’t worry, dad). However, I reached deep down inside of me, mustered some aggression, and...elbowed people out of the way, kicking/pushing myself through gaps that I imagined were there. 

I honestly didn’t know I had that in me :P

By that time it was dark, and getting colder and a lot rowdier, nearing the time we had to meet everyone. But we stopped for gelato, and then some pizza (dessert first when there are no adults around!), before getting a little lost again and finally arriving at the station. The rest of the group was there waiting for us, though we were technically 5 minutes early.

Lucky Nut (inspired by my fav kid's book) overlooking a canal...

There was a lot of this...

We finally got on the train. Unlike coming in that morning, the train wasn’t quite so crowded so we were able to sit down. The ride was a little over an hour, but Mik, Kayla, A and I spent the whole time singing so it went by quickly. We even got applauded once ;).

Beth picked us up in Casarsa from the meeting place and drove us back to school so we wouldn’t have to make the trek in the dark.

I fell asleep, mind still wandering through those empty sunny streets of Venezia with Mikaela...

It’s a city that stays in your mind, especially when you understand how it’s struggling economically and physically (those rumors that it’s sinking are true) and the way it’s trying to preserve it’s history and be a home to some people while it receives a constant influx of tourists who buy souvenirs that were made in China. Honestly, the whole city felt sad to me. It’s certainly beautiful and historically decrepit, but it’s also rundown, dying.

Nothing lasts...