Three Italian Cities - Rome, Florence, and Venice: Part V

Okay, I really should finish this up. For a family trip that was taken over two months ago, this arc is due for a wrap-up. If memory serves me correctly, I last left off at the city of Pisa. In total, I've covered Rome, Vatican City, Florence, and Pisa. Aside from the previous two main stops (Rome and Florence), one last major city to visit is Venice.

After breezing through Pisa, a quick rendezvous back to Florence was required in order to catch another bullet train. Good-bye to the merciless sun, good-bye to the endless museums and Renaissance splendor. Well, not really. In Italy, there is virtually nowhere you can go that's without a museum or art gallery of some sort.

Venice, Italy
From the scalding sun, the family and I found ourselves next to bodies of water. Of course, this meant drastically lower temperatures, soothing winds, and... the smell of sewage.

As seen in the photo, there is not a vehicle in sight (might be a little biased from this angle). Instead, everyone, even normal citizens, travel solely by boat. There are boats serving as buses, boats serving as cabs, boats as tour guides, boats as merchants, and - never excluded - police boats. With all these boats scattered through rivers, humorously enough, there are occasional water traffic jams.

The real "must-have" experience in Venice falls on the gondola rides. Yes, it is hideously expensive, as is everything in Europe. However, €100 for a family ride on the gondola is somewhat leaning toward the absurd side. As mentioned before, a euro is approximately 1.5 times the amount of a U.S. dollar. Do the simple math: that's $150 for a twenty or so minute ride. It's a sad excuse of a tour, since the gondolier (one who steers the gondola) spends most of his time staring into space, idly paddling the gondola through the narrow waterways.

Regardless, the experience is still one-of-a-kind, no matter how ridiculous the payment for it is. The neighboring view, especially around sunset, is breathtaking. Ignoring the occasional sewage stench, the gondola rides are pleasant.

The last photo turned out particularly nice. Had it been taken about half an hour later, the colors of the sky definitely would have turned out far better.

In comparison, the night view differed greatly in comparison to the sights in Rome and Florence. In the former two cities, most regions are dimly lit... and for the lack of a better term, quite sketchy. However, this was what I've seen in the Venetian night:

Must be the water...

Of course, there are museums and galleries scattered throughout Venice, but for some reason, the experiences simply differ from those in Rome and Florence. I'm not saying any is worse than the other - in fact, I'd consider them equal - but the time spent in Venice was truly unique.

For any classical music fan, this white facade is what is left of the home of Antonio Vivaldi, the baroque composer. And in case anyone who reads this doesn't know who Vivaldi is, I've taken the liberty to add a composition here. More than likely it's recognizable. If not, well, I'm beat.

And there are countless mask and costume shops dotting the streets of Venice. At certain times of the year, supposedly there is a longstanding tradition that incorporates parades, costumes, and masquerade-like events. I didn't look too deeply into it, though.

Finally, pigeon-feeding. Well, you can feed pigeons anywhere, but it isn't often that you can actually have a pigeon on your shoulder or your hand. They're light, they're friendly, and they are really, really, really warm.

And FYI, everyone calls theses birds pigeons, but they're actually doves. More specifically, these feathered critters are the Columba livia, or the Rock Dove. Unfortunately, I think we're at a point in time where this is irreversible and Rock Doves are simply good ol' pigeons.

Aside from experiences that have become bound to Venice, every Italian city deserved a dining tour. Since Venice borders water, what better place to grab seafood in Italy than Venice?

The first dish was the true oddity of the bunch. It's spaghetti, but it's unlike any spaghetti I've ever seen. I didn't dare order it, but my little brother didn't mind his teeth turning black for half an hour. Cuttlefish spaghetti. If the black came from its ink... that's troubling. However, the report was that it was delicious. Critics said it was, and so did my brother.

Aside from the jet-black spaghetti, the standards (and above standards) included lobsters, various sea bass, king prawns, and so on. The total cost for one dinner? With appetizers, the entrees, and drinks factored in...

Around €300. Yikes...

For every entry that I've written about Italy, it's never enough. The experiences that I managed to find myself in while in Italy were boundless. Staying there ten days may not have been enough either. In due time, I may gather either friends and family for yet another visit. Yes, it was dreadfully hot. Yes, it was overwhelmingly expensive. Yes, there are other cons to the trip, especially if you grow tired of the endless paintings and sculptures. But for me, at least, the pros outweigh everything else. I wouldn't say it's a once in a lifetime experience (then again, maybe it is), but it was definitely worth every moment... and drop of sweat.

Meanwhile, I might make a pathetic attempt to grab a trip to either London or Paris. If you've visited the major Italian cities, you might as well visit the other major European cities. Wallet-emptying experiences, but I'll take them... maybe within the next few years.

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Until next time, Europe!