Woke at 2:30 am only because it was supper time on my time zone. I find that's what wakes me up on another time zone, not the sleep part, but my stomach!
I was starving! It was still 3 ½ hours until the continental breakfast opened. I checked my carry on suitcase and I had one little box of yogurt covered raisins. That held me over for about an hour and then I went to the vending machine. How could it be that I was in Italy and eating out of a vending machine. At 6:01 I went downstairs and asked the front desk if there was breakfast. It seemed quiet. He said it started at 7:00. I was starting to turn crazy.
At 6:59, me and about 30 Chinese people stormed the breakfast room where I ate... um... well.... 2 plates of food, 2 bowls of cereal and 2 lattes. Don't judge me, it was a long time of being hungry!
I walked to the train station shortly after and caught a train into Venice. I sat in a section full of school kids and I wondered if my own kids would act like such clowns on such a trip. They probably would.
I got off the train and walked through the station. It's an amazing set up! You go through the doors of the train station and it's almost like a great reveal or something. You enter Venice like you're entering a whole new world. Literal chills ran down my spine and all over my body and you know that saying “it took my breath away”? Well it's a real saying. It took my breath away.
I stood there and stared and wanted to cry, which seemed stupid but I have wanted to be in Italy for a long time.
I took a water bus to the farthest side, Palasso Ducale, because I wanted to go to go to Teatro La Fenice, a famous theatre. I got off the water bus and went straight for the first coffee shop where I ordered a latte and sat and looked around. So far I heard about 5 different languages being spoken. One word: tourists!!
I took out my map and turned on my internal gps. Ok, I could stay 5 nights in a hotel and when I left my room I would go the wrong way to the elevator every single time. I have NO internal gps. I paid really close attention though to where I was walking, looked at my really crappy map and set off.
At first I didn't really care where I was because I was stunned by everything. I hadn't realized there are NO cars. The “streets” are so narrow that I can touch the sides of the buildings at the same time with each hand.
Right – left, left – right – left, straight- right – dead end. This would be a good time to explain something. You know the hulk? He gets mad and turns into something totally different? I have a similar thing inside and it's triggered by being lost. There is no other time it comes out, but when I'm lost I turn into a literal monster. Ask Kate, Anna, Sonia, my kids – there's no denying it. I become a raging monster. I could feel my “clothes” starting to tear as I transformed but I was doing my best to hold it off.
I have NO idea how but I looked up and low and behold there was the theatre. I paid my 10 euro which got me into the tour and let me take pictures. It also got me a phone that I could listen to that was my own pre-recorded tour guide.
I walked in and burst into tears. It was spectacular. I couldn't move. I couldn't breath. I looked around at the detail and beauty and thought I might be dreaming. I listened to the guide and I won't bore you with the details. (unless you're a history nerd, in which case you'd love the details!)
From there I decided to find my restaurant. It was the one that is in my book Taverna del Campiello Remer! It's where 2 characters in my book meet so I wanted to go there for lunch. Ummmm... 2 hours perhaps I was lost. I walked around in circles. And squares and octagons and any other possible shape. Being the polite Canadian, I didn't want to ask for help because I thought those poor people probably get that all day long! (American's would just ask... ooooo ouch – little jab just for Claudia!)
I passed 2 men sitting outside a pub and then I passed them again. They smiled, ok, laughed at me. The third time they called me over and asked where I was going. I showed them the name and the guy who didn't speak English said he knew where it was and he would take me there. I was suddenly wishing I had Liam Neeson as my dad just in case I was “taken”.
He did indeed know where it was and I thanked them for their help and they asked for credits in my book :)
I went in and sat down and it was wonderful. A guy there who spoke English asked if he could sit with me. He was an ex employee and so when I said I was writing a book, he felt the need to give me a lot of details about the place. It was helpful.
I took my computer out and wrote for a bit while I had all those details right in front of me.
From here I needed to head to the big old bridge who's name I can't think of right now. I walked in the wrong places again and decided that my map was from the devil. Right when my monster was about to rear its ugly head I looked to my right and there was an H&M. That's enough to calm anyone's monster. Bought a black dress... gee really? Yep black. 14 euro.
When I left the store I went in the total wrong direction and got lost again. Where is Kerrie when you need her?! That woman has a creepy sense of direction! The buildings are so stunning. The water, the shapes of everything from the windows to the arch ways. I mean it's really indescribable.
I found where I needed to go (that's the short version) and crossed the bridge. I needed to get to restaurant #2 for the book. I walked and walked and walked and walked. My back was cramped from the weight of my bag, my feet hurt. Still I was enjoying myself, holding my monster at bay! Another 2 guys saw me looking lost and tried to help me. “go here then there then over there then fly to the moon and back.” That's all I heard!
I had some gelato just so Gail would be proud of me since I couldn't find the donuts.
I gave up and decided that part of the book would have to be left to my imagination. I was ticked to say the least and I think my monster got the best of me at one point when I said out loud “I hate this city!” It's just the monster! I don't hate the city!
I decided to sit down and just write so I could make the most of it. I had another latte, I think my 4th for the day, and wrote outside in the sun. It was really nice.
All I had to do was get back to the train. I couldn't believe how exhausted I was!
On my way I saw a sign for the museum of modern art. Not a huge museum fan but I had to go. I followed the signs (and a lady with a map) and did a tour of that! Inspiring!
I did great getting to the train because I looked up in the sky and followed the seagulls assuming they were at the main body of water. I was right for once.
I caught a look of myself in a window and laughed. Humidity does wonders for the hair! I figured I should go to the bathroom before I left and I was amazed that I had to pay. I was suddenly glad that I really had to go!
Just before leaving I sat on the steps one more time and took out my computer looking through my story for more detail I could insert.
I had one more gelato.
Overall, Venice seemed to me a bit like Time Square. There's nowhere in the world I have ever been that's like it. Wonderful to visit but I couldn't live there.
Now I'm on the train back. I'm stuffed! My monster is calmed. My day was spectacular. And I'm happy to go back to the hotel and sleep.
Tomorrow - Finland!
As for the song above - I'm not going to say what it's about just yet... I would like to hear what people think first. So feel free to comment.
No comments:
Post a Comment