21 October 2018
12:19 a.m.
Venice AirBnB
Today, despite the crowds, I wasn't complaining.
We organized this trip on our own, but on this leg, we had a pair of hosts so gracious and generous they opened their homes and hearts to us. They told us stories of their time here, took us inside the Basilica and up to the view deck of the Campanile. They answered all our questions about the city and other parts of Italy and served us homecooked pasta and probably the best cappuccino I've ever tasted. They also introduced us to their three boys who now call this place home. To visit a place is one thing, but what it must be like to constantly be surrounded by all of this beauty and history! I'm reminded of an old quote: a man who lives near a waterfall eventually fails to hear it. I wonder if it's the same with a place like Venice.
Whatever the answer, I'm sure about one thing: Venice has become all the more meaningful and memorable to me because of the Ate Tess and Kuya David.
Next: Happiness is a Vaporetto Ride Away
12:19 a.m.
Venice AirBnB
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| Venice is pretty at almost any angle, but at golden hour, it's almost breathtaking
Venice from the top of the Campanile looks so different. The red-tiled rooftops and occasional church spires and bell towers somehow all look so neatly arranged it's not hard to imagine a city so well-planned that it has managed to survive centuries.
At ground level it's a different story. The streets go every which way that it will only take a second before you're hopelessly lost. Also, you almost have to fight for space against hundreds, even thousands of your fellow temporary visitors. Our group's photo stops are constantly interrupted by other wide-eyed shutterbugs that are just as awestruck by a narrow alley or a passing gondola. There's a hardly a moment of peace, especially at the major hotspots like the Piazza San Marco and the Rialto. Clearly, we're not the only ones enamored by this frenetic, romantic city.
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| The front door of our AirBnB apartment |
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| A view of the Campanile from the balcony of St. Marks |
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| The Adriatic Sea stretches beyond the confines of Venice's lagoons |
Today, despite the crowds, I wasn't complaining.
We organized this trip on our own, but on this leg, we had a pair of hosts so gracious and generous they opened their homes and hearts to us. They told us stories of their time here, took us inside the Basilica and up to the view deck of the Campanile. They answered all our questions about the city and other parts of Italy and served us homecooked pasta and probably the best cappuccino I've ever tasted. They also introduced us to their three boys who now call this place home. To visit a place is one thing, but what it must be like to constantly be surrounded by all of this beauty and history! I'm reminded of an old quote: a man who lives near a waterfall eventually fails to hear it. I wonder if it's the same with a place like Venice.
Whatever the answer, I'm sure about one thing: Venice has become all the more meaningful and memorable to me because of the Ate Tess and Kuya David.
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| A typical Venice "street" |
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| A Venetian shopping mall, converted from an old post office |
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| Gelato to end a long day of sightseeing. Even the waiter of a nearby restaurant joined us for this picture |
Next: Happiness is a Vaporetto Ride Away
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