Odyssey To Europe: Essay 12: The One Night Stand in Venice

Odyssey to Europe
Essay 12: The One Night Stand in Venice

Once we had woken up and eaten breakfast, we headed towards the train station, to go to Venice. The train ride was about 2 hours, so it was longer than the ride to Florence. We zoomed through the countryside; past green meadows and lush hills. Soon, we began to cross the ocean, instead of green countryside. Outside, there was a half submerged city up ahead, wreathed with canals and small rivers. We had arrived at Venice. Once we got off the train, we walked outside; originally planning to take the water-bus to the San Marco plaza, where our hotel was. However, after seeing the long queue for the tickets, we decided that walking was a better alternative. Walking ended up taking longer than the water bus, but it was definitely worth it to take the walk. All of the small and narrow streets are extremely interesting to look at. In the small back alleys, you can easily get lost, but it is not such a bad thing; in fact, it would be a good experience to get lost. The small streets are extremely quiet, and their narrow size makes one feel one secluded from the outside world; in your own little bubble. Finally, after one hour of walking, we reached our hotel, and settled in. Several minutes later, we were back out in the streets of Venice, heading towards the San Marco, a very famous plaza in Venice. Since the San Marco was extremely close to us, we were there in no time. The Plaza consists of the Basilica of San Marco, and a massive watchtower that looms over everything. The plaza is also right next to the sea, so you have an impressive view, an imposing tower, and a beautiful sea view all in one place. From the outside, the basilica was slightly reminiscent of the Sacre Coeur, with graceful, sloped domes and a slender exterior. However, the basilica was not open, so we only took several pictures, and then walked along the river, to go to the Dogana de Clare, a church on the opposite side of the San Marco.
The San Marco. The walk there took us past Venices true attraction: the canals and waterways of the city. You only need to walk several meters, and you will find a bridge, crowded with gondolas. The back alley canals are usually inhabited by gondola men, while water taxis and water bus stay on the grand canal. The reason Venice is so flooded is that it is slowly sinking into the ocean, like Atlantis. Therefore, water pervades every corner of the city, making travel by car impossible. The only way to get around is by foot or by boat.
The grand Canal.
The rivers and roads of Venice. Once we had walked for about 30 to 40 minutes, the massive, domed church came into sight. Even though it was closed, we were still able to admire it from the outside, in all of its grand splendor. We sat down at the dock, and watched the gentle waves lap against the dock, shaking around the seaweed. After we had sat there for several dozen minutes, my dad and I headed back to and ended our day with some relaxing at the hotel.
Views from the Ocean.
The Dogana San Clare.
The watchtower at San Marco, viewed from the Dogana Di Clare. Day 2 As soon as we had woken up and eaten breakfast, we checked out of our hotel, but left our baggage inside, as our train was at 9:00 in the night. Immediately after we had checked out, we headed out into Venices streets and canals. The two of us first walked towards the San Marco square, to take another look. This time, the Basilica was open, but the line was awfully long, so we ignored the Basilica and headed further out, to the coast.
We entered the labyrinthine maze of the small streets, taking a leisurely stroll amongst the serene and narrow streets. We blew about one or two hours that way, exploring Venices back alleys and small canals. Occasionally we would see a tourist or a gondola, but the majority of the time, no one would appear, allowing us to explore Venice peacefully, without disturbances. The streets of Venice may be the most interesting thing that is not a major tourist attraction. While they are not extremely small, the high walls and the small width gives one the impression that you are boxed in, making the streets seem much more narrow than they are. However, the streets are an extremely peaceful place to just wander around, get lost in, and explore. Occasionally, a street will lead to a small plaza, with shuttered windows, and a fountain set in the center, which is always a good place to stop and rest. Also, small chapels can be found in tunnels, decorated with a picture of a saint, some flowers, and other ornaments. Overall, the back alleys of Venice are a cost efficient, faster, more interesting, and overall better than traveling by boat or by the main streets along the coast.
A small chapel alongside a street.
The small streets of Venice. The canals deserve some mention too. Filled with sparkling green water, the Adriatic Sea invades every corner of the ancient city. Bridges are everywhere, bridging the gap between
street and street. It is a very enjoyable experience, plopping down on a small street next to a canal, and feeling the breeze on your skin. That was exactly what we did; we bought a large amount of ice cream, found the nearest dead end to the river, and sat down, enjoying ourselves immensely. As we were ambling around Venice, we came across a small church. As we had a lot of time on our hands, we decided to go in. Inside, it was relatively average, with marble columns, gilded ornaments, and a crucifix hanging above the altar. However, the atmosphere inside was both tranquil and lively at the same time. While it was extremely beautiful, the colorful decorations and the vivacious classical music gave one a sense of merriment. Both my dad and I liked this church, so we settled down and sat there for a long time. Next, as we were walking along the coast, we saw a small naval museum, so we went and took a look at it. The museum displayed the grandeur of the Italian navy, and its weaponry. Arsenals of guns, swords, and cannons were exhibited on the first floor, while models were displayed on the second floor. The third floor had several pictures of graduating naval classes, and some models of maritime ships. We slowly walked amongst the historical exhibits, and took in as much as we could. Once we had decided that the two of us had seen all that we wanted, we left the museum and continued our walk around Venice.
Three of the exhibits in the museum.
Several hours had already passed, so the two of us decided to head to the Ponte Rialto, one of the most famous bridges in Venice. After meandering around the Venetian streets, trying to find a major road for several minutes, we finally emerged in a crowded market, with the massive bridge in sight. Cutting across the Grand Canal, the massive bridge resembles the Ponte Vecchio in the fact that it also has shops located on the bridge. However, it is a much bigger tourist destination, crowded with people shopping for items, admiring the view of the Canal Grande, or simply crossing. The Grand Canal sparkles and shimmers like liquid diamond under the sun, occasionally broken by the numerous amounts of gondolas, boats, and water bus crossing the river. It is sort of like a highway, but on water.
The view of the canal, from the bridge. My dad and I sat down at the side of a street, under the bridge, and admired the busy canal. Even though there is a superfluity of boats roaring along the canal, and honking at each other, the canal still projects an aura of serenity. So, the two of us sprawled out amongst the concrete, enjoying the scenic view. At around 5, we returned to our hotel, and picked up our luggage. Back at the train station, we sat down, and waited several hours, until the train arrived.
Once the train entered the station, we immediately boarded it, and entered our room. Our compartment was slightly cramped, but comfy, with a chair, two beds, a small sink, and some edible goodies stacked on a table. We immediately settled down, washed up the best we could, and got ready for the ride. So, goodbye Italy, hello Vienna!
Our train compartment.

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Odyssey to Europe

Essay 12: The One Night Stand in Venice

The grand Canal.

Views from the Ocean.

The Dogana San Clare.

A small chapel alongside a street.

Three of the exhibits in the museum.

Our train compartment.

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