Backpacking Adventures: Europe Part I

7. Venice

Before my trip to Venice, my only knowledge of the city came from romanticized movies and stories I'd been exposed to. In my imagination, it was the playground of love. Gondola rides, romantic restaurants, and scented candles abundant. How couldn't you fall in love with such a paradise?

However, our trip was marred by rain. It didn't rain all the time, but it poured for most of our visit. Even St. Mark's Square, perhaps the most famous place in Venice, was flooded. I'm surprised Venice doesn't flood every week, considering the island is banded by canals. The water is so close to the Italian infrastructure! I'm not an architect, but it seems to me that as sea levels rise, the buildings could eventually be in trouble. I'm sure there are smarter people than me working on the problem.

During our stay, we decided to visit the centerpiece of St. Mark's Square, the St. Mark's Campanile. This bell tower allows visitors to pay to go to the top deck, where you get a beautiful view of Venice and its neighboring islands, Burano and Murano. We didn't know you could go to the top of the tower, so when we saw the sign advertising it, it was a blessing. We were getting drenched for hours, and this was a welcome escape.

Even if we had only gone up to escape the rain and wind, it was well worth it. It's the only place to see the entire island, and the view is incredible. Looking from the Eiffel Tower, there weren't any discernable patterns or colors in the Parisian infrastructure. But seeing Venice from above, you notice the uniform reddish-brown roofs that give the city a strong sense of personality. It's impressive that the island still values its architectural history, as all those structures were built that way over 1200 years ago.

This makes me appreciate the longevity of Venice's architectural heritage, especially since you don't get the same historical significance in North America. I once visited Boston and stood in one of the oldest structures in North America. For reference, that structure was built in the 1700s, which pales in comparison to anything in ancient Europe. While Indigenous people were already in North America during that time period, it's a shame their infrastructure wasn't built the same way. It would have been fascinating to visit long-standing Indigenous structures if they had been constructed with better technology.

I think it's essential to promote Indigenous culture more than we already do. I've always felt that there isn't enough education on the traditions of Indigenous peoples. They were here long before any Europeans, yet other cultures in North America are celebrated far more frequently. For example, St. Patrick's Day celebrations are WAY more prevalent than any Indigenous festival. I just think it would be both beneficial and genuinely fascinating to promote indigenous culture more.

Lost in Venice

Back to Venice. The only time we can escape the rain is at night. It becomes our only chance to walk around the island comfortably. However, the problem with casually strolling around an island comprised of different bridges is that it can be easy to get lost.

On our first night, we decide to go for some gelato after dinner. After we get our dessert, we walk around instead of eating it in one place. Since we don't know where we're going, Josh and I quickly get lost throughout the island. We don't recognize that we're off our path until after finishing our dessert. But once we do, we look up and realize we don't know how to get back.

For reference, I am horrible at directions (as you may have learned already). If you put me in a room, spin me around three times, and tell me to point North, the best I could give you is a 1/4 chance. I don't know why I can't tell up from down, but that's how my brain works. Instead, I have an excellent sense of time. I can look at the sun and determine the time of day, but can't separate east from west. Of the two natural forces that make up our natural world, space and time, I'm good at one and VERY BAD at the other.