wandering venice

Wandering around the streets of Venice last weekend was not only an exercise in not getting lost, but also in costume admiration. Peppered into the crowd of regularly-dressed people were those in full costume. These costumed moving targets render all of Venice into an obstacle course of sorts because as they make their way through any crowd, inevitably the crowd will stop. It will part. It will reassemble in an unpredictable way with camera-wielding individuals moving at the costumed revelers and all others moving away. Now this scenario is easy to picture on a large throughway, even an average Milano sidewalk. But in Venice where you're navigating tiny spaces and out of the way bridges, this is a challenge. Enjoyable, yes. But a challenge.



The quest through Carnevale in itself is also somewhat exhausting. It warrants quiet time here and there. A rest. A break. Some people are able to recharge in the sunshine on a bench. Others, like us, go to the Guggenheim or the Palazzo Grassi to view modern and contemporary art. Nothing like a steer suspended in formaldehyde to get those energy levels back up!



For some reason, children in costume never seem to tire. They are always able to dig into their bag of confetti to hurl that one last fistful at an unsuspecting adult. Going over one of the main bridges we were ideally placed behind a 10-year old cowboy-hat-wearing cowgirl who just couldn't resist throwing confetti at everyone. And for some reason, probably because we were all packed so close together on the bridge, none of the adults saw it coming. Not a one. Each recoiled as the colorful paper bits hit them in the face. And then they would look around to find the assailant as if that mattered. By the time they caught a glimpse of her she was on to her next target.



There seemed to be a few regulars wandering around town. Older folks with dogs. With newspapers. With a walk that said they knew exactly where they were. Though they were the rarity it was nice to see them there, to know that not everyone was just passing through.



To live in Venice can't be easy. The gondola traffic alone has got to drive you mad. All of the striped gondoliers shuttling couples past romantic vistas. It's a real world vision of Disney World's "It's a Small World" ride. And then there are the couples drinking wine along the canals, eating plates of the wonderful little tapas so popular in Venice.



Wait a minute... that was us. A wine glass perched at the canal's edge. Watching passers-by make their way up and over the bridge. Wondering why we'd never had an anchovy on top of a pearl onion before. And wondering if we should go back into the bar and get another.

We didn't. But only because there was a gelato shop next door. So we went in there instead.