europa 2010: venice, italy...

it's safe to say these postings might become fewer and far between in the coming weeks... in about 24 hours from now i'll be reunited with my brother, ryan, who will continue with me on my european adventure from rome, through italy to france, down to spain and back up through france and then he'll depart from paris...

however, i couldn't help but write about venice because i am in love... for years now i've wanted to visit this sinking city with its waterways, gondolas and resistable italian charm... it's hard to believe i'm actually here... i've been walking the streets non-stop since i arrived, poking through the market stalls, wandering across bridges, snapping photos at every turn... stopping at cafes for soave, spritz or a light snack... it is an understatement to say that you could very well get lost in venice... dead ends, tiny alley stretches that lead to who knows what... walking in a straight line is virtually not an option in this city... but somehow i've come to know my way around so well and actually navigated for some new friends and i throughout the day today...

in the morning we booked it to san marco where my breath was taken away by the magical basilica... the clock tower looming above me, i couldn't believe my eyes and just remained silent for a few minutes... then off to a cafe for take away cappucino and panini lunch... i seriously can't drink enough cappucino -- addicted for sure... and the gelato -- heaven.

the most memorable moment in venice though was my gondola ride... that's right -- we decided to cave and have the quintessential venice experience... chantelle, chandler and i hopped in this luxurious black, red and gold gondola with our gondolier, giorgio... he took us along the grand canal, in through the city streets and back out to the canal, pointing out landmarks and information about the city along the way... not to mention, he sang in italian while he rowed and was the essence of italian charm... seeing venice from right in the thick of it amongst the water taxis, public transport and local speed boats was out of this world and worth every penny...

italy has captured my heart and there's still rome and florence to see... i think i could explore this world forever... ciao.