Carnivale

Yesterday I went to Venice for the day with a tour group company, Bus2alps. We left at 7am and arrived in Venice at 2:15ish. I was surprised with how quickly the bus ride went. It's a tour company for American students studying abroad, so they played some movies throughout the ride. Knocked up and Mean Girls were two of the features...as much as I love the Italian movies, it was nice to see familiarity (and watch something in English). The ride was pretty; we drove through some countryside, and were able to see the alps as we got a little further north!

As soon as the bus dropped us off, we searched and bartered for our masks! They were much cheaper than I was expecting, but I guess that makes sense because everyone at Carnivale needs one! (I'm going to miss bartering when I go back to America: 1. because I excel at it 2. who doesn't like watching the price go down before your eyes? I was with a group of twelve people from JFRC, but we all split off due to everyone having different agendas. Mine was just to enjoy carnivale. And I did just that. Brigid, Melissa, and I strapped our masks on and headed for the center. Most of Carnivale takes place in San Marco Piazza (Casanova anyone??). We eventually got there after stopping to try on even more masks, buy confetti (who says you have to be a kid to throw it at random strangers), grab lunch and some wine.

5/12 of us wearing our masks

It was absolutely the most fun I've had on a trip so far! Everyone is wearing a mask. I mean everyone...old ladies, babies, middle aged men...it's quite the site! Many people even get 100 percent into it and dress up. Here are some of my favorite costumes (yes, I was the creeper taking pictures of people I didn't know...and with some of them, but that's what it's all about).

this guy reminded me of the people in wizard of oz...i call them the OREOS because that's what it sounds like they're chanting, but I know it's not...but you know the people guarding the wicked witch's castle?

This is probably my creeping at it's finest.  A family in costumes! I didn't get the guys shoes, but they were legit!  The kids looked pretty tired, it woulda been awkward if I got their faces...well I tried and failed.

This lady was one of my favorites.  I am going back to Carnivale in the future, dressing up like this, and letting everybody take pictures of me.  New life goal.

I even took pictures with other people in them, to step up my level of creepiness.

The three of us even met some new friends. They are studying in Milan, but were from all over (Ireland, Egypt, Malaysia, Poland, Brazil, Germany). They were really nice and we spent a great deal of time talking and hanging out with them.

Some of the people Brigid, Melissa, and I met

I had to pay to go to the bathroom for the first time since I've been in Europe. I've been so good about avoiding it, and finding free public bathrooms, but Venice didn't have that option. It was the only disappointment of the day.

Venice is absolutely gorgeous! Although, it was very crowded, so we didn't get to see too much, but we knew that when we decided to go to Carnivale. I love the little canals, and walking over the bridges. Everyone always says how it smells there, but the only time I noticed strange smells were in some of the smaller alleys (and I have a very good nose that detects even the weakest of smells...makes up for my bad eyesight) .

Looking off of one of the bridges

Someone taking a Gondola ride

Some Gondolas sitting at the gondola station

St. Mark's Cathedral is stunning from the outside. It was closed by the time we got there though, and we were unable to go in. The mosaics were magnificent above the entrance way.

Side of St. Mark's

Front of St. Mark's (they were doing construction on parts of it)

One of the Mosaics

We left Venice at 11pm, we had to hop on a water taxi or bus to make it back to our bus on time, but it was a very neat experience, and I usually hate boats (a strange fear considering for the last 2.5 years I've spent nearly every day in one). We made it back to the bus on time and started the seven hour journey back home. I slept the whole way and we were back home around 5:30am. I was even able to call home since it was only 10:30 at night in Chicago. I actually got a really good sleep in, so going to bed wasn't an option for me, but the others passed out until lunch.

Random Facts
1. We saw one of the fountains have wine spouting from it, rather than the water. They were filling up cups for people.

wine fountain

2. Michelle-When talking to the Brazil guy, naturally I told him about you, and he said that the best Carnivale in Brazil is in, well actually I forget the name of the city, but I'll do some creeping and look it up for you...just in case you want to try it out another year.

3. The Gondola driver-rower-mover type people actually wear the uniforms you see in the movies. Since I was in my creeper picture mentality, I can show you.

Gondola driver person

4. I enjoyed not having a list of things I needed to see and do, and just absorb the holiday. I do hope to go back one day to see the islands and the inside of St. Mark's.

I EVEN SAW PIPY LONGSTOCKING!!