Day 1

Monday, April 4, 2011 -5:02am
Venice

Currently pinching myself.  Mom and I arrived in Venice yesterday about noon.  Seriously a city perched on water, no textbook or postcard could prepare you for the beauty and awe of Venice.  The history of the buildings and cobblestoned corridors silences even yours truly.  

Our flight was, well, twelve hours in very cramped seats.  Since we left at 1:30pm, the whole idea of sleep was ludacris.  Hungry, bored and in desperate need of wine, I'm surprised I didnt die.  A quick jog around the Amsterdam international terminal (nothing is quick about going through security with a bionic-hipped mother, however.  They like to swipe her down with magic wands over and over and over...) and we made it.  Paulo and his fabulous enterage of drivers and boaters greeted us at the gate, shuttling us to our private vaperetto.  The sun was shining, sparkling against the infamous filthy canal sludge.  Standing up in the. Back of the water taxi, wind literally in my hair, I found myself smiling.  Extremely exhausted just moments before, the palazzos rising up from the waterways, seemingly with no earthly foundations, blew me away.  Docked and en route to Casa V..., I realized how Truly narrow and windy all of these little alleyways really are.
Did you know Venice has no cars?  I mean, of course you do, they've been teaching us this since we were little.  But really, no cars...just boats.  Romantic couples and Asian tourists drift by in cheesy gondolas, their drivers wearing the traditional striped shirts and straw hats.  Our hotel room, hidden behind an unmarked door smack dab in the middle of the breakfast room is, well, ridiculously small.  I know Europe is notorious for it's tiny guest rooms but wow.  
We wandered aimlessly around the crowded Plaza de San Marco, shamelessly staring, groggy-eyed at the locals and tourists bustling about their Sunday.  A quick glass of wine at a tourist trap (pretty sure I forced my mom to sit.  Drink.  Damnit) and we continued our mapless journey.  After gazing at Designer boutiques, hidden parks full of kissing couples and ancient nonas and nondescript churches holding 400 year old artistic treasures, we ended up having a very quick plate of pasta at a cafe lining the plaza.  I washed my face, brushed my teeth and was out before 8.  Of course, I had been up for some ought 28 hours.  Now I'm up at an ungodly hour; the difference is I'm in Italy.  I can sleep when I'm dead.  Xo