Carnival and Venice

Arriving in Venice for the last few days of Carnival was a lucky coincidence. I'd like to claim that I had the foresight to schedule my trip appropriately, but we all know I've done most things randomly so far.

Nothing prepares you for the sight of the Grand Canal on a sunny day. The water looks turquoise, and the brightly painted buildings on the canal front are something to behold. The vaporetto is slow as heck, but one of its advantages is that it allows you to get a birds-eye view of the Grand Canal. Otherwise, it is an exercise in patience.

Venice is definitely a city of tourists. You see them wander past on their gondolas (And for 80 euro for 30 bare minutes, not worth it for me.). You queue behind and trip over them to get around St. Mark's Square. I can only imagine how frustrating it must be in the summer for high season.

Yesterday I was a typical tourist - the Basilica, the Campanile (the view of Venice and the lagoons from the top is truly stunning), Rialto Bridge, and Doge's Palace. I also got to see one of the daily mask competitions that they hold during Carnival. It was good fun, and it's crazy to see the effort some people put into their costumes.

Today I want to do a bit more exploring, and check out some neighbourhoods and perhaps even one of the islands (Burano probably). I've heard that wandering the back streets and getting lost in the smaller canals is a must,  although for my own peace of mind, I don't want to get too lost.

It's always fun to travel with someone else, but I have to say that I've found being on my own quite fun. I get to set my own itinerary without anyone else nagging me. And in places as beautiful as Venice and Tuscany, being alone is the farthest thing from your mind. You're just trying to soak up as much of the local atmosphere as you can. Alone or not, you're damn lucky to be there! (Though I will admit that as a solo female traveller, you really do have to be on guard for the creepy men that exist everywhere. It's so unfortunate that we face a situation like this and most men don't. )

I've booked a night train to Munich. The temperature difference there is about 10C.  Oh Italy, I should have scheduled you for last. I've enjoyed your (relatively) warm weather too much to give it up now. Guess I just better make time for one last life-changing gelato.