Venice: The Beginning

Today, we arrived in Venice! It's been a pretty busy day so far and Ally and Tess are napping right now, but I think we will go out a little later after Napfest to see Venice at night.

We woke up at 3AM, caught the bus at 4 and got to the airport around 5:30 and our flight left at 8:30. A very busy morning. I did get a little sleep last night and on the plane. On the plane I woke up close to the end of the flight to see us flying over the Alps and then over the Mediterranean. The Alps were so expansive and the whole range looked like a giant piece of paper that someone tried to reflatten, but didn't do a very good job.

We caught a bus from the airport and it brought us into Venice on what I think is the only road in the city. It's very strange to be a city without any traditional roads, just canals, which by the way are beautiful. I really like the idea of waterways instead of asphalt.

Our hostel is a little sparse but comfortable and the host seems very nice. We get breakfast every morning and we have our own set of keys to open the 4 different doors in order to get into the hostel. Not too many worries about security. The place, Sweet Dreams, seems pretty quiet. It's off the main street, about 3 stories up a building that has a very intriguing inner courtyard full of hanging plants and narrow stone stairwells.

 After we dropped off our bags, we walked about without any real destination and walked though the Piazzo de San Marco and along the Mediterranean.  We stopped at a little "snack shop" for lunch/ dinner and got pasta stuffed with ricotta and spinach and a pizza. 

I think Venice is and will be a very easy city to mosey about in and explore. There are nooks and crannies and back allies everywhere. Very easy to get lost in. I think we are going to try to limit our destinations so it doesn't turn out like London did; rushing from one place to the next without every really enjoying anything fully.

Some words I have learned from using them today. 
Uscuti - exit
Prego - you're welcome
Aspetta - wait!
Vattene, bestia immonda! - Begone, foul beast! 


I will keep you all updated on any new Italian words I learn and my continuing adventures in this ever sinking city.