Since Steve and I have been in Europe, we've seen some pretty amazing places. We've been to Amsterdam, Paris, and southern Germany where we've seen the Castles near the Bavarian Alps. But all of these places pale in comparison to the magic and romance of Venice. In fact, of all the places we have traveled to in the world, our trip to Venice is the one that we will probably cherish and remember most.
From the moment we arrived in Venice there was a sense of intrigue and mystery to the city. The anticipation of not knowing what to expect left us with a sense of exhilaration as the water taxi took us from the airport to the main stop near Piazza San Marco. As we made our way through the city on the way to our hotel, dimly lit lights surrounded us as pigeons flew by. In the distance we heard the most beautiful sound...opera music. It was unlike any music I have ever heard before. It was so soothing and peaceful. As we stopped to listen, several couples passed by us holding hands. We shared a kiss and it was probably one of the most romantic moments we have ever had.
Walking along the streets in Venice was a unique experience in and of itself. Most of the streets in the city were lined with shops and out door markets. There you could find fresh fruit and vegetables, fish, and loaves of baked bread. Next to the markets were small cafes where you could stop and have an espresso or cappuccino. And almost everywhere you turned there were souvenir shops selling masks and glass-blown jewelry. Masks were sold everywhere in Venice and they were expensive and elaborate. They reminded us of the Mardi Gras masks we saw in New Orleans only with ten times more detail and extravagance.
Though we found the markets and souvenir shops interesting, I think the bridges and canals are what intrigued us most. No matter where you walked, there were canals everywhere. And as you crossed over them, you were certain to see gondolas passing by. Rialto Bridge was the largest bridge we crossed in Venice and also the most well known. Shops lined the bridge from one side to the other and it was one of the city's main tourist attractions. People stood shoulder to shoulder taking pictures (myself included) and it almost seemed surreal that we were actually there. It felt as though we had discovered a place that no one had ever seen before and it was amazing!
After we had walked around the city for a few hours, we decided to give our feet a rest. We stopped at a little bistro down one of the side streets and bought a bottle of red wine. We hopped onto one of the water taxis and drank wine as we cruised along through the canals. We passed gondolas carrying lovers as the drivers sang beautiful serenades and watched cruise ships setting out to sea. We saw some of the most beautiful parts of Venice and it was by far the most romantic boat ride we have ever taken.
After our water taxi tour of the city, we ate dinner at an outdoor restaurant along one of the canals. We sat at a candlelit table next to the water where we had a fantastic view of the boats passing by. We also had a view of one of the many bridges in Venice and watched a beautiful sunset as we enjoyed a romantic dinner. For Steve and I, a romantic dinner consisted of pizza and beer. Quite funny considering the couple next to us ordered lobster and champagne! I think our waiter was a little upset that we ordered pizza at such a fancy place but we didn't care. It's not the food that makes the romance, it's the person you are with and the place you are that matters most.
As we made our way through the city after dinner, we noticed that many of the shops and restaurants were already beginning to close. We found this strange considering it was only 8:00 p.m. We later discovered that it is common practice for businesses to close early because so many store owners have to take water taxis to get home at the end of the day. Without the hustle and bustle of crowds on the streets, the city took on a whole new feel to it. It was somber and mellow, dark and eerily quiet at times. We felt a sense of mystery as we walked down alleys and across bridges some lit only by the reflection of lights upon the water. The experience, though a bit unsettling at times, offered a feeling of passion and excitement. As we walked along, we tried to take in as much as we possibly could certain that we would never experience anything like this again.
On our way to Piazza San Marco the next morning, we were walking through a small courtyard next to an old church when we heard the same opera music we heard the night we arrived. When I looked to see where it was coming from, I saw a large crowd gathered around a man singing. I was shocked! I couldn't believe that a man could sing such beautiful music or sing as high as he was singing. I could have listened to him sing for hours...that is how moving the music was to me.
When we finally reached Piazza San Marco, the main tourist attraction in Venice, we were stunned. It wasn't anything like what we were expecting. We assumed that it would be a large square filled with pigeons and that's about it. We were right about the pigeons...but there was so much more to see than what we imagined there were be. In the Piazza we saw the "Campanile", a historic tower that once existed as a lighthouse in the 1100's. From most of the canals in Venice this tower can be seen which is why it once existed as a beacon for seafarers long ago. We also saw the Torre dell' Orologio, a Renaissance clock tower on the north side of the Piazza. The interesting thing about this tower is the clock. The dial displays different phases of the zodiac in gold and blue. Other fascinating sights included the Basilica San Marco, a breathtaking church adorned with statues, mosaics, carvings, and never ending arches. We saw the Columns of San Marco and San Teodoro, Doge's Palace, and from across the Piazza San Marco was the Santa Maria della Salute, a baroque church which stands at the entrance to the Grand Canal.
As we were enjoying our scenic walk through the Piazza, romance filled the air...along with hundreds of pigeons! There were pigeons EVERYWHERE! You couldn't walk two feet without tripping over one and we had to duck a few times when they nearly hit us in the head! Afraid that we were going to get pooped on, our relaxing stroll became more of a mad dash to escape from the mob of birds! Once we were away from the crowds (and the pigeons), we sat down at an outdoor café' along the Grand Canal near the Piazza. We enjoyed the warm sunshine as we reminisced about the highlights of our trip.
While we were sitting there eating lunch and watching the gondolas float by, a man playing an accordion walked past our table. The music he was playing was very romantic even though we didn't recognize any of the songs. Steve and I held hands as we listened to him play and when he finally played a song we recognized, we both smiled. Because that one song seemed to summarize our entire trip to Venice..."That's Amore'!"
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