Sunday, June 12th
9:00 am:
~This morning’s shower was... refreshing; it really woke me up. Next time, the hotel standard will rise just a little bit to require hot water in the rooms.
~Breakfast was filling. We enjoyed the rolls with butter and jam, and if we weren’t awake enough, the citrusy lemon-orange drnk finished the job. We are up and ready for the day!
~Out the door and on our way by about 10 am, we headed for the train station to purchase our tickets for the bus/train back to Salzburg.
~For brunch, we found our third helpings of gelato for the trip. This time, it was something comparable to cream mixed with clouds, topped with heaven. Lunch was a ginormous slice of pizza. :)
~Tickets in hand, we knew we’d have roughly 4 hours before our train left Venice. We set out, as usual, on foot to retrace yesterday’s steps in order to track down the scarf of Melanie’s dreams, a new Italian-english dictionary, and to find a carnevale mask for me. We realized after a short while that we’re incredibly good at retracing our steps. We didn’t find the dictionary, but the scarf was waiting to be purchased right where we’d left it on Saturday. It was meant to be.
~Walking through the streets, it was impossible not to hear the choirs from the churches, either practicing or performing for the sunday pentecostal services. We went into the Rocco church, and sat for a while and listened. I’m pretty sure Italians make the best vocal performers in the world. That small choir is how I imagine the heavenly hosts to sing.
~On the way to the restaurant that we’d chosen the night before, we passed by some beautiful masks, and I found the one for me. Green and purple, it will be a perfect wall decoration for when I get home.
~Lunch at the pizzeria was very Italian: family owned and operated and the pasta, creme brulee and tiramisu were GREAT!
1.00 pm:
~After our lovely lunch, we meandered through the streets of Venice, enjoying the sunshine and wandering toward Piazza Roma to catch our bus back to Austria.
6:30 pm:
~We made it onto the bus safely. It was a good ride, although it was pretty hot outside. A guy who smelled somewhat less than pleasant got on the bus with us. As luck would have it, his seat was directly behind mine. We tried various methods of overcoming the smell in a number of discreet ways, but to no avail. We were stuck with stinky for the duration of the trip.
About an hour into the bus ride, he tapped me on the shoulder and asked where the bus was going. We talked for a short while, and he mentioned that he was just trying to get to Vienna. He was very nice, but seemed nervous. He didn’t have a passport or any form of ID. When we got to the border, the bus stopped, and two Austrian Policemen escorted him from the bus. I felt so bad about the situation. He’s probably been through a lot and is just trying to catch a break. The experience made me think again about how fortunate I am to be here, to be able to fulfill my dreams, and to have all the experiences that I have had. Even having an American passport and knowing who I am is something that shouldn’t be taken for granted. I have been blessed with so many opportunities and experiences in life, and it has been a humbling experience for me to see other people overcoming incredible odds, making the best out of what life has offered them.
8:00 pm:
~It’s unbelievable that 25 hours in Venice can change my perspective in so many ways. One trip, one day, and hundreds of experiences.
No comments:
Post a Comment