Venice

Hello there!! How are all y'all?? I know its been a while since I blogged.... But here is the first instalment on our Italy trip! We started  in Venice. Although Venice doesn't have the best art or history collection in Italy, it might be one of the most interesting cities in the world. Where else do you see a city built on water?? As you probably know, no cars are allowed in Venice, so we either had to walk or take the water buses. The tiny sidewalks are flanked by tall, skinny buildings which mix together and crowd out the sun. Venice has a sense of confinement to it. But I suppose when earth is precious you can't waste space. Anyway, the water buses were more fun than walking!! There was nothing to hold onto, which made it very easy to fall over. The water was so clear and sparkly though. Small waves lapped against the buildings that lined the canal. The Grand Canal was busy and bustling just like any major street, but only two fancy bridges spanned the wide canal, so getting to the other side was a hassle! :) Venice was the relaxing section of the trip, so we didn't do too much. We climbed some towers, saw a few churches, and saw some art.  We saw the Tempest by Giorgione and bits and pieces from Leonardo's notebook. The churches were interesting because they seemed to be heavily influenced by the east. There was a lot of gold, mosaics, and paintings. It was different from any church I had ever seen.  We also went to a beach! Which was good because it doesn't feel like summer unless you go to a beach!! I can now say I have swum in the Adriatic Sea. But it was freezing... I could barely move I was so cold! My favorite part of Venice, actually the entire trip, was when we went to the Cafe Florian. The Florian is situated on a square, right next to St. Marks Basilica, known for it's pricey cafes and good jazz bands. I had just been reading a book about Flappers and desperately wanted to hear the bands, but they didn't start playing until late. So we waited around awhile until around 10:00. Then we sat at the Cafe Florian and sipped our drinks, listened to the music, and I pretended I was a Flapper. Then, my Dad and I danced, which was the best part! Unfortunately, the band decided to take a break soon after we started dancing which was a shame, but I still had a lot of fun! Another great thing about Venice, and yes, the entire trip, was the gelato! It was so delicious. I got chocolate and hazelnut one time and peach the next. The chocolate one was quite icy which Mum loved while the peach was a bit more creamy, but they were both so good!! Anyway, for the next bit of the trip, we headed to Florence.