We arrived by train on December 30th. We had a hotel booked on the mainland just a 20 minute train ride from the heart of Venice. Our first night was spent roaming Venice, exploring it's market-like tented shops set up in the narrow streets. I remember that night was very calm. The brisk cool ocean air was refreshing, unlike the freezing mountain air in Milan. The water was dark like black ink and was constantly in a gentle ripple due to distant passing boats sending the water waving throughout each little canal and waterway. Lights from lamp posts shimmered and danced on the water. Headlights of boats and their illuminated reflections against the water were seen coming through the canals far before the boats themselves. There was exotic party music playing from some of the bars as they prepared the atmosphere for the festival that would come the following night. Yet still the streets were serene and uncrowded. Piña Colada in hand, we wandered and marvelled through the night in this fairy tale like city
We rose early the next day to visit the island before the crowds. In the spirit of New Years Eve we bought ourselves a 30 cent beer and a slice of pizza for breakfast and enjoyed the unique atmosphere. The day was spent just walking around, simply taking it all in. At one point the narrow alley we were following opened up into a wide stone carved staircase leading down towards a market. The original fish market was still in use, it's tall arching ceiling and open walls were filled with crates and stands where vendors were advertising their seafood product buy shouting over the chattering crowds. A thin layer of ocean water covered the entire court and market area. Every type of shelled, tentacled and finned animal could be found there. The smell was overwhelming. It was captive and sunken in the court, with nowhere to escape. Further along an array of pastas and spices were offered as well as merchandise and hand made souvenirs. It was a really authentic experience.
Afterwards we had some lunch (pizza again, of course) then began our hunt for a traditional Venetian carnival mask. At this point the city was alive and in full swing. We bought gelato and sat by the water's edge. It's interesting how the water so greatly effects the identity of this city. The city seems so vulnerable, with many open ledges, dead ends and flooded courts. Yet the city has adapted over hundreds of years and adjusted to a unique way of living. I don't think Venice would have the same character and personality without its canals. I couldn't tell if the ocean embraced the city, or if the city embraced the ocean.
We returned later, prepared for the famous "Venice in white" New Years Eve party. However, to our dismay we were notified by authorities upon arriving that the festival had been canceled due to threats of terrorism. Which, may I add is the reason you won't find a single garbage can in the streets of Venice. If someone intended to harm the people in the city, they could drop an explosive in the trash cans as they pass by. The streets are so narrow, people fleeing would become completely congested. Alternatively the canals are littered with trash and fill the city with the lovely smell of decomposing garbage.
So instead, we celebrated in front of San Marco's Basilica, where small crowds were gathered. We watched the fireworks before heading home. Only issue was that, sure a few thousand people could fit comfortably in the courtyard of San Marco, but thousands of people at once in the tiny streets and alleys of Venice? Impossible. We shuffled home shoulder to shoulder in a drunken mob of party goers, stopping only once for a midnight panini. We continued on wobbling with the crowd for what felt like hours. Walking over literally half a foot of broken glass and garbage (remember, there is no public trash cans in Venice) through the labyrinth of passageways and to the train station.
Afterwards we had some lunch (pizza again, of course) then began our hunt for a traditional Venetian carnival mask. At this point the city was alive and in full swing. We bought gelato and sat by the water's edge. It's interesting how the water so greatly effects the identity of this city. The city seems so vulnerable, with many open ledges, dead ends and flooded courts. Yet the city has adapted over hundreds of years and adjusted to a unique way of living. I don't think Venice would have the same character and personality without its canals. I couldn't tell if the ocean embraced the city, or if the city embraced the ocean.
We returned later, prepared for the famous "Venice in white" New Years Eve party. However, to our dismay we were notified by authorities upon arriving that the festival had been canceled due to threats of terrorism. Which, may I add is the reason you won't find a single garbage can in the streets of Venice. If someone intended to harm the people in the city, they could drop an explosive in the trash cans as they pass by. The streets are so narrow, people fleeing would become completely congested. Alternatively the canals are littered with trash and fill the city with the lovely smell of decomposing garbage.
So instead, we celebrated in front of San Marco's Basilica, where small crowds were gathered. We watched the fireworks before heading home. Only issue was that, sure a few thousand people could fit comfortably in the courtyard of San Marco, but thousands of people at once in the tiny streets and alleys of Venice? Impossible. We shuffled home shoulder to shoulder in a drunken mob of party goers, stopping only once for a midnight panini. We continued on wobbling with the crowd for what felt like hours. Walking over literally half a foot of broken glass and garbage (remember, there is no public trash cans in Venice) through the labyrinth of passageways and to the train station.
It was our last day and I had been urging my friends to share the cost of a gondola boat tour. However my friends could not fathom paying 80 euros for a 30 minute boat trip. I desired so badly for a boat ride through the grande canal, to see the city from another angle. So we devised a plan. On the farthest end of the city, there was a small dock offering hotel patrons a free boat shuttle to the Casino Venezia. We hurried over and in broken Italian requested to be taken to the Casino... It worked! Most tourists would never figure to do the same. It was a short ride.... but only because we were in a fancy little speed boat, similar to the one seen in the old James Bond movie, woohoo! We docked at the Casino door, did a walk through to the street on the other side and left Venice very satisfied!