Experiencing the Best of Europe
Day 9: Ciccheti, Gondolas, and Acqua Alta
“A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles.” – Tim Cahill
Best Moments
1. Morning walk with Elizabetta, our local guide
2. Meandering into a mask shop to see how the masks are made
3. Riding the Vaporetto out to the islands
4. Crossing the Bridge of Sighs
5. Visiting my old neighborhood and buying a poster (which I ended up losing)
6. Searching for ciccheti with Rick and Lynette
7. Enjoying the process of ordering the ciccheti and finding new ways to fix common foods (green beans with tomato sauce)
8. Eating something I wouldn't normally go for (baccala)
9. Changing my mind to ride the gondola because I wanted to be with the group
10. The moment on our gondola ride when all four of our boats came together on the grand canal under the moonlight with music filling the air
11. Returning to Max's during acqua alta
12. Drinking the best Bellini I've ever had (fresh peach juice)
13. Sipping on lemoncello while the water level rose
14. Making the most of a Venice night
Daily Recap
*Our adventures started early this morning. We had a date with our local guide: Elizabetta. Walking through Venice in the early morning is the best time. We saw locals prepping for the day. The tour opened my eyes to things I never considered. How do the Venetians take care of waste, mail, and laundry? A system that works for a lot of the world couldn't work here because of the lack of cars.
*While on the tour we were able to visit a mask making shop. We watched as simple materials like paper and glue became a glamorous disguise.
*Our afternoon was free to explore on our own. I wanted to revisit the islands of Murano and Burano. I love the colorful buildings and the quieter atmosphere compared to the bustle of Venice. It was also a hot day, so the breeze sitting at the front of the vaporetto was welcomed.
*We finished our evening with a gondola ride that was everything one should be. The four boats cruised down the Grand Canal as we listened to the music under the full moon.
Personal Connections
*Elizabetta was a great guide to give us a peak into Venetian life. She lives on the Lido and it shows by her perfectly tanned skin. She was confident, beautiful, and knowledgeable. I picture her being stubborn, but very loveable. In the afternoon during my free time, I was walking in the Castello sestiere when I ran into her. There was a local hardware shop that I used to go to when I stayed in Venice before and she was there with her husband. I love meeting the guides, but seeing them in their own daily lives is a unique experience.
*Tonight was a great night for people. We returned to Max's after our gondola ride. The square was filled with people out enjoying the night. It was also filled with water due to acqua alta. I loved watching the people slosh through the water as if they were kids wading in the sea. People sometimes say that Venice is dying and in decay, but there is a life I feel in this city that isn't felt everywhere.
Information Station
Stub Hub
The vaporetto system is one of the joys of visiting Venice. It is a cheap way to see the city. At night you can peak into the palazzos and gaze at the murano glass chandeliers and other elegant pieces. If your lucky, you may even see Johnny Depp.
The afternoons can be quite hot in the lagoon. With people in all directions, it is nice to escape during the peak tourist hours. Although Murano, Burano, and Torcello have tourists, it is not nearly as congested. I found it rejuvenating to grab a bottle of water, and hop on the boat to feel the breeze. Grabbing a gelato on the way back is another nice treat.
There is so much to see and do in Venice. One sight that I've been wanting to visit is the Doge's Palace. I was most interested in walking through the Bridge of Sighs. As I stepped through the dark, covered bridge, I imagined what it would be like to peak through and see Venice on the way to the cells. It would be quite torturous to be stuck behind bars knowing that such life was right outside those walls. I wonder how Casanova felt.
While walking through my old neighborhood, I strolled past an art studio with beautiful paintings and prints. My souvenir of choice for this trip has been posters. They are affordable and I can surround myself with them at my home and reminisce about the times I had. I found beautiful prints of Venetian scenes. I even found one with a moon (which I love). I picked up a couple that were on sale and safely stowed them away. Too bad I left them in my old poster tube in Rome. I hope someone enjoys them as much as I did.
Going to Italy, you know the food is going to be good, but how can one imagine it would be this good? I wanted to taste several items, so some friends and I searched for cicchetti. It is basically an Italian version of tapas. We found one in the Rick Steves guidebook that seemed like a good fit. The three of us worked as a team as we searched for the hidden gem. Once we finally found it, we sat down to order. We were a little intimidated by the ordering process, but after realizing we didn't have enough time to sit and dine, we went up front to order. With simple phrases like per favore and pointing, we filled our plates with delicious treats. I think one of my favorite items was the baccala. It is something I would not typically order, but would order over and over if I could.
Ca' del Sol is the shop that features masks made by the man we saw. It is covered with masks of all kinds. I love the idea of having a festival that allows one to hide their identity and be whoever they want.
