Venize

Arrival at the bus station in Venice! First impression, a bridge welcomes you to cross and step into the frenzy of tourists. The main street is crowded and on each side there is some shops selling or pastries, or carnival masks, or Murano glass or jewelry. I read that glassblowers were in Venice, but since the thirteenth century, the workshops were moved to an island to prevent fires. The Venetian houses were mostly wooden at the time.

You can have many choices in Venice, follow the horde of tourists from both sides of the Canal Grande (main channel) or go get lost. I chose the second option (not surprising ?!). OK ! I really lost myself at the end, but I think this is the best way to see Venice from a different perspective and go around the six districts of the city without realizing it.

During the afternoon, I navigated from crossing the bridge, turn around in small streets overlooking a canal, along the canals, fall in Piazza San Marco, observe many tourists playing with many pigeons, stop on a bridge to watch the gondolas past to the sound of the accordion.

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For supper, Nero di Seppia! Spaghetti with squid ink sauce and pieces of squid ... not bad at all! But Carefull , I think that's stain! I waited to see the note of tourists, if they look at me strangely, I still should have some ink around the mouth!

After I nearly found my way and followed the direction of the setting sun, I give myself a well-deserved break with a spritz, Venician drink.

Back to the bus station! With all the tourists and many French finally.

​Second day ! I took the option of the Free Walk Tour and met Katie, a girl from Chicago with who I talked during the visit. Peter (Piedro) took us into the hidden sights of Venice as Jewish Quarter, the University, the old district of prostitutes, Venice Casino and we even took a gondola to cross the Grand Canal to the fish market (which ended at 10 am)

We learn a lot about all the particularities of Venice with all the wells that were used as source of drinking water for the inhabitants. Wells are generally located near the churches, and we can observe hollow at the foot of the well, it served to give drink to cats, welcome in the city to exterminate the rats during the plague period.

Apparently, at carnivals, 3 types of masks are accepted in the famous Casino of Venice, the one for the man, the woman and for the servant.There is another type of mask, one with a long nose, which served to doctors during the plague, that protected them from sickness as they put flowers in their long nose to help stand the smell.

Peter also showed us marks of the water level can sometimes be high enough in Venice. The people had to live in the upper floors and ground floor were released to stores.