Venice

Last weekend, I embarked on my second traveling adventure.  Destination: Venezia. Venezia is Italian for Venice.  My friends and I were looking forward to this trip for weeks because we were going for Carnevale, which we heard was one giant parade/party.

Carnevale is often compared to New Orleans’ Mardi Gras.  Carnevale is Italian for “no meat”, and it goes on for ten days, ending the day before Ash Wednesday.  It is characterized by people in masks and costumes.

It was so cool to look around and see every single person in some kind of unique mask.  Some people were even dressed up.  I saw the most random costumes: people dressed as smurfs,  superheroes and even the Simpsons characters.  My personal favorite was the little girl dressed up in a lion body suit.  So cute! Here is us with some random pink animals.

There was a big parade for Carnevale that went around Saint Mark’s Square.  There was also a huge stage where people in costume sang songs and taught dance moves to the audience so everyone could join in.  My friends and I had a great time dancing.  The Italians have some interesting dance moves!

Besides being Venetians for the weekend and participating in all Carnevale had to offer, I was able to cross something off my bucket list: A gondola ride! It was absolutely amazing and by far my favorite part of my trip abroad thus far.  We sailed around the canal, and ended under the huge Rialto Bridge where all the beautiful houses and buildings are.  It was so peaceful and breathtaking. And it was only twelve euro a person.  It was great to be able to sit in the gondola and just admire all the architecture and beauty of Venice.  (Oh, if you were wondering, our gondola man didn’t sing for us… disappointing, but still so worth it!)

Besides Carnevale and the gondola ride, my friends and I devoured pizza after pizza.  We also shopped and bought little souvenirs for our families and friends.  Venice is beautiful.  I’m so happy I got to be there for the world famous Carnevale, and I’m even happier I got to knock riding a gondola off my bucket list.  I fell in love with Venice and I am definitely going to make a trip back  before Ireturn to the States.