Our European Travels... And Life Thereafter

VENICE

Venice is the most breathtaking city to see. I completely get why this is one of those top 10 places to see before you die. Our jaws practically dropped off of our heads when we stepped outside the train station and this is what we saw. I guess i just didn't believe all those people and websites, and pictures ... it really is a city built on water. Oh, and not just a regular city, a city comprised entirely of magnificent, elegant, ornate, romantic mansions that are now used in modern times as apt complexes, hotels, museums, businesses, etc.

When we got there of course it was hot as hell and geez were we pumped for a hotel with AC. We found it pretty quick and couldn't help ourselves but to set out on exploration time. Grabbed some quick and delicious lunch at the local mediteranean/kosher restaurant Gam Gam (later stories about this place to come...) and began our trek over literally hundreds of bridges throught the insanely crowded street. Venice is like nothing i have ever seen in that nothing with wheels is allowed on the island. No bikes. No cars. No nothing. Just a TON of people. The canals run through the tiny cobblestone streets and alleys about every 30 steps you take, so yikes was venice a work out.

Much to our surprise the food in Venice was WAY better than any other part of italy we have visited, meaning more variety of ethnic foods and better italian. The pizza was HUGE and delicious and they had these delicious italian tortilla wrap things at all the street food places.

Below is San Marco square. It looks huge and that's because it is HUGE. Around the perimeter of the square are a billion of the typical italian tourist restaurants, super expensive (im talking 10 euro for a cup of joe) but with awesome views and people watching. The thing that set this square apart from the others which we had seen in other parts of italy is that every restaurant had stages with live music all lined up next to each other with grand pianos, violinists, brass instruments, drums, singing, etc. This is why venice is know as one of those elegant and romantic citys.

We didn't realize until we met the wife of an art dealer from the states on one of our train rides that something called the Bianalle was going on during our stay in Venice. The Bianalle is something the likes of which i have never heard of. It is basically a world renowned art festival held in Venice, comparable to the Cannes Film Festival, but with one artist chosen from every country to exhibit their art.Most of the countries are bunched together in the city center with an entrance fee, but others are just scattered about the city held in old mansions, free and open to the public to check out. The Icelandic artists blew everyone else we saw out of the water.
Here they are just two dudes, living in this huge open studio, in their underwear, quietly strumming away at the guitar, drinking Becks, and painting exactly what is going on around them. It truly was a living, real-time museum where u watched them first hand create what is to be eventually sold for around a half million dollars. You can't really see in this pic but all the paintings (prob around 60) are of them in their black underwear doing the most random things.

That right there is one of the guy laying down visualizing himself as he painted his mirror image.

My Brandon in one of the many extravagant cafes.

There is so much to write about Venice, it was an incredible four days spent there. This is to be continued so i can gather my thoughts and Brandon can contribute to our storytelling. Bye everyone, will write more soon, miss you all!