You know what is another thing I love? Hard rock. As in Hard rock cafe. If there's one in the city I'm in…that's where you'll find me. I've seen quite a lot of them, my fave so far being the one in Rome. Nothing quite as cool as their ceiling painting with angels sporting guitars and other instruments. Classic art meets hard rock and that's super badass. Either way, I only just recently started collecting their charms on a charm bracelet. I always loved the concept of charm bracelets. Got one filled with all kinds of crazy charms but this one is a say, fresh start. Meant for traveling only. It was a gift really. In 2018. I guess I shouldn't complain, 3 charms in 2 years is better than most people get. I suppose I'm sulking because this year I was supposed to add on Berlin and maybe, just maybe if I was lucky Budapest. And that didn't happen because Corona fucked up my life. Well mine and about (enter number of earthlings) others.
I suppose we were all doing that ''vacation close to home'' thing this year. Seriously though, I knew I live in a beautiful country but I had no idea just how beautiful it really is, I haven't seen the places I've seen this year in a while and just, wow. There aint no place like home right? And my home really is amazing, but more on that in another post next week. This week, something else. Because I decided on vacation close to home, well actually at home, and being so close to Italy as we are, I completely unexpected got to add Venice to my charm bracelet this year.
Y'all a bit closer to me know I've been obsessed, wanting to see Venice for years and years and never got the chance. I found it so absurd. I've seen entire Italy but never been to Venice which is closest to me. I mean who goes to Sicily, Naples, Palermo but never sees Venice? Crazy. I've been nagging everyone at home for years. ''I wanna go see Venice, I wanna go see Venice''. I've been called annoying for it, and I've been told I'll be disappointed because it aint ''all that''. My entire family already saw Venice mind you. I was the only poor sucker left out. Let me tell you something. I wasn't disappointed one bit. Even if Corona madness really is madness and 2 hours of train rides with no AC and 30+ weather…well that is hell, but shit that first moment, when the train arrives in Venice, the canals, the water, looking as if it's floating on air. It's magic.
I didn't have that much time, hours only. Well a day let's say. It was enough though, for now. Like a day trip. Aren't those the best? I should do this more often. Hours were good enough for the most important things, Piazza San Marco, the cathedral, Palazzo Ducale, Ponte Rialto, a walk down the Grand canal, a little quick shopping and of course a must the Hard rock, both store and cafe.
We took the time to see the Palazzo Ducale inside. If you're there, it's a muss, expensive as hell, I think 20 eu but it's well worth it. The palazzo as you will know is the former residence and the seat of Venetian government. Today it's the very symbol of Venice, I mean, what do you think when you think of Venice? Canals? Sure, San Marco? Most likely. But also Palazzo Ducale. On top of it all, it's a masterpiece of Gothic architecture. Gorgeous. Amazing. Beautiful. And the inside? Jesus fucking christ. All the gold, and paintings, oh dear god. We had a guide that told us what the paintings mean, what each room means, how the Venetian government worked in the first place and why it was so much better than it is today (it really was believe me).
And of course while talking about the palace we can't go pass Casanova. Y'all seen the movie right? Heath Ledger was and is one of my fave actors. Blonde. Go figure. I've seen the movie countless of times. You know how the story goes right? About the poet and womanizer? Well aparently he was the only one who managed to escape from the prison next to the palace. What happened was that the night before a party was on in the palace and he managed to sneak out of the prison and into the palace, dressed as a gentleman, one of the staff asked him how can they help him, assuming he was one of the party guests who got drunk and stay the night. And what did Casanova say? ''just show me the way out''. Can you imagine just how both brilliant and cocky that is?
We also crossed the famouse ''Bridge of sighs'', tried to make the guide say the name of the bridge in my language, it was hysterical. It's a difficult word and he gave up. Hah. Welcome to my life I'd say. I guess the bridge got this ''romantic'' sorta title due to people having one last look at the view before being jailed, while the jailers and others simply called it ''prison bridge''. Kills all the romance doesn't it?
Okay but one piece of info for my girls reading this…do you have any idea how ridiculously sexy the gondoliers are? I mean seriously! Tattooed, and those perfectly styled beards and hair. They look insane, like they stepped right out of a Milan fashion show or a style magazine. Believe me I had trouble breathing more than on one occassion.
Venice is such an amazing city to put the fucking map and the god damn phone apps away and just vander. Get a little lost. No worries all streets eventually lead to the same place, if not the people (the sexy gondoliers) are so sweet and will no problem show you the way. Venice is not that big you can walk the entire city in a few hours, counting that you get lost several times, hah, but really, that's the best part, get lost and explore, you never know what's waiting behind the next corner. There's a lot of tiny stores and tiny cafes which are not that expensive and just perfect for a quick stop to have a coffee or some Aperol (I only love to drink it in Italy because I swear only they know how to do it right), and the prices (if it's not the San Marco Piazza of course) aren't even that high.
What I enjoyed during this visit most is the fact that there were hardly any tourists. Corona aint bad for everything it seems. Usually, on any normal day, Venice is packed, full of tourists on every corner. And if there's one thing that I just can not stomach is American tourists acting like they own the place (I apologise to Americans reading this but jesus they annoyed me in Rome). So emptier streets, no waiting lists in front of sights, though sad is in a way much better.
What I also can't get over is the fact that this city is so strong and yet so flexible on wooden beams. Like it's just wood, in the water, holding up the entire city. How crazy is that? I mean we've all heard that they're sinking and that the world is looking for a solution. How about no cruise ships near Venice? That would be a great start, though I believe now since Corona happened they're no longer allowed. Y'all wanna guess where they got the wood to build Venice? Yeah that's right, in Slovenia. Just saying. Do you know any of the other names for Venice? Like, La Dominante, La Serenissima, Queen of the Adriatic, City of Water, City of Masks, City of Bridges, The floating city, City of Canals. Beautiful aint it? Another beautiful thing must be the Carnieval, which this year didn't happen of course but I can just imagine. I've seen pictures of course, but that probably doesn't come close to reality. All the masks, all the clothes, all the colors and the beautiful city as the backdrop for pictures. I get goose bumps just thinking about it.
Well Venice was and still is today a major cultural centre, and has been ranked many times as the most beautiful city in the world. Times online called it one of Europe's most romantic cities. True. So romantic. So pretty. The architecture, the artwork, the history. Everything combined. Nothing but pure beauty and to be honest, despite it all, Corona fucking up my summer, being home for vacation and only getting a few hours in Venice, I feel blessed for getting some time to spend there at all. It was gorgeous and so worth it. If only I could turn back time and get lost on those streets again. Feels so surreal to be back home, thrown back in the usual routines and stress. God I hate that. But I guess no matter how badly I'd wish it, I can't live in vacation mode forever. I can relive it for a quick moment though while typing these words and editing some pictures. Speaking of pictures, enjoy these and come back next week for an even better post on my own country. It's even more beautiful than Italy I promise cough patriot cough. Hah.
P.S. Click on the pictures or open them in a new window to enjoy them in full size.
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