so we get off the train at Venice and are greeted with such a pretty view of Venice. Right there is bridge(one of thousands i'm sure), so of course, first photo-op of Venice on the bridge! it is there that I see a Mephisto store and think of my grandmothers love affair with those shoes, and the 30 minute lecture on why they are such amazing shoes. anyways we take pics on the bridge, cross the wrong way go into a Murano glass store only to be told the main part of that island was where we just came from, cross back over and head towards the Jewish ghetto to meet Jared. We get a little lost on the way there, turn around go down an alley than happen upon Gam Gam's backery. well, Gam Gams just so happens to be a Jewish backer, on a Friday, so what do they have, CHALLAH! so for 3 euros we get a big challah to share. Not only was this good challah but it was jens first challah she has ever had! and well you know the ending, of course it was delicious(great harvest is still the best because of all the eggs, but this was so nice and homey to have some challah on shabbas) but anyways as we are walking, we think in the right direction we just happen to run into jared, which was very convenient cause we were trying to meet up with him. so we walk a little bit more into the ghetto and see a Judaica store and go in. well of course i buy something two mezzuzahs in murano glass, sooo pretty. jared got one too, but he bought the scroll to make it kosher(40 euro more so i passed). but anyways as we left the store for some reason Jared all of a sudden decides to wish us all a good shabbas. Well.....none other than a member of the chabbad there in Venice sees Jared doing this approaches us and asks if we were going to the shabbas dinner that night. We say o we didn't know about it, he gives us details when and where and says hopefully see you there. Of course we decide to go, who turns down a free meal! it would also be really cool to experience a shabbas meal in a different part of italy(for those keeping count that is now my third shabbas meal here in Italy, and at home....i think one the entire semester) so Jared goes to services the girls walk around a little bit more, than we meet up at the resturant and have a delicious shabbas meal. It was funny becuase all of the chabad members are American all the tunes for kiddish were the same so we were able to sing along.
Actually at dinner we met two Israeli girls who were also visiting venice and they were really nice. One was actually a sniper in the army!(pretty bad ass if you ask me) but so we sang and prayed a lil and ate and had a really nice free meal! afterwords we were ganna try to go out on the main island but didn't know of anything, but our taxi driver did tell us of this bar 2 minutes away from us that has live music on the weekends so we head there. and on the way we are walking meet other american students and chat for a bit, one of the guys stays near us so he came back to the bar with us. and omg the bar was so much fun!
so at this bar, its all local italians, pretty packed. well we find seats get some beer( i actually dont cause i didnt have money! kinda ran out...woops) but anyways we were just chillin, the new guy leaves and we try to find seats closer to the band. we got a table and so happy we did. this band was amazing! i mean they played oldies like pink floyd and bob dylan. he was rocking out on the guitar, absolutley amazing! so we stay there till they get off, have a blast and get back to our hotel and pass out!
saturday we get up with the boys leave the hostel and go to san marco, the main island for celebration. the boys heard of a fish market they have so we walk there to check it out. on the way we see the island which was really nice. we walked over a hundred bridges and walked in little alley ways but thats how venice is. so on the way we see this little garden with these swing things, and of course we get in them and photo-op. we move on and get to the fish market, not huuuge, but big. it was pretty cool because there was a ton of fish. so after the fish market we split up for a little bit. Jared comes with the girls and the other two boys went off on their own. that was when we decided to take a gondala ride! on our ride we saw marco polo's house, casanova's house and the old prison where he was the only one to escape! it was a lot of fun. i got nervous sometimes becuase well its in the water, and sometimes you dip down close to the water.
after our gondala ride we decide to put our masks on and start the carnivale celebration! we meet up with the rest of the boys in san marco square, where the stage is that plays music and has different festivites at night. after another photo-op with our masks on this time, we walk around a bit.after some walking and touring we decide to find a super market and get some wine to enjoy the evening with. so we find a super market buy break, brie and wine(jen and i got presecco, italain chamagne!) and sat down at the waters edge and enjoy a lovely sun set with brie bread and booze(i like the b alliteration). after chilling for a while we decide to go to a pub before dinner and heading back to san marco sqaure to party! at the pub we got a big beer thing that had like 4 liters of beer and split that. well of course another photo-op ensues and it was just a really fun time.
after the pub we have to wonder around for a while to find dinner(everything was booked because of carnivale). we finally get dinner, i got a very yummy pizza with eggplant, artichoke and prosciutto. so after dinner we head to san marco square where they have music and drinks and we just had a blast dancing and drinking and celebrating with so many other people (btw carnivale means good bye meat, or something liek that. its the celebration before giving up meat for lent!) so we celebrate, and go back to our hotel where we hang out for a while then head to sleep.
sunday we take our time getting up, check out, and head to Murano for some glass! well Murano was pretty obviously lined with shops for the famous Murano/Venitina Glass. and it was a very successfull trip. many suvineers where bought for everyone by everyone! at one point we split up becuase ellen had to catch her early train so tim and max take ellen to the train station and jen, jared and i stay on the island and get lunch and shop. well we found a great little place with 5 euro pasta! yummy :). we also met a couple from America who had moved to Italy exactly 1 year before we arrived in Rome, which was pretty cool.
so we go back to san marco and walk around, which was not smart it was cold adn raining by this point so we finally convince jared to find a restaurant to eat in. we met up with the other boys and ate a leisurley dinner than headed back to the hostel to get our stuff(we left it there so we didnt have to carry it around). any ways we get to the train station early and decide to play asshole! well i havnt played in years, but i really should because i won most rounds(its called being the president). dont get me wrong i lost some too(was the asshole) but it was still fun to do while waiting. so we get on our train for the overnight train play another game and eventually pass out
well we get back to rome at 6 40, i get back to my apartment at 7 40ish, shower and pass out, only to get up at 11 to get to class!
overall- i love venice. it was so beautiful with all the canals and the bridges and the history. great place!
I'm glad to be just a guy ;-)
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