I was able to tag along to their trip to Venice and I have to say, it was my favorite trip so far. I didn't know much about Venice other than it had gondolas and that George Clooney was recently hitched there to a long-legged lawyer lady. I had no idea what we were going to see or do but I was just happy to get out of our stuffy apartment for a short getaway. The four of us hopped on the train and two hours later, we found ourselves in a rainy, beautiful city filled with boats and canals. I know what you must be thinking. Rainy? That doesn't sound like fun at all. I can assure you, the rain made our trip unforgettable. Little did we know, we had arrived on a weekend of a high tide mixed with some downpour. This means that most of the city was temporarily flooded with about a foot of water. Because of this, Mr. Belker suggested that we buy rain boots. It was the best decision we could have made. During high tide, platforms are set up throughout the city for those who do not have waterproof shoes. The platforms are narrow and long lines formed on them. Because we had rain boots, we were able to cut....I mean bypass the lines and enter places such as Saint Mark's Basilica (which was beautifully dressed in gold murals).
During our stay we visited the island of Murano (which is known for it's beautiful glass), rode a gondola in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Belker's anniversary, shopped, and played in the water like a bunch of children. My favorite part of the whole trip was the communication with the locals. Venetians are private, classy people who take pride in driving out crime and inviting tourists to learn about their culture. They even look different than the Florentine locals that I am use to. Instead of dark skin and dark hair, Venetians are fair skinned with light eyes. Because they were so welcoming and interesting , I was able to use my newly learned Italian skills. I spoke Italian whenever I could and no one laughed at me! I left the city feeling more immersed in Italy than I ever had before.
They say the city of Venice is slowly sinking. Every year, the water rises just a little bit more than the year before. Who knows what this charming place will look like in a couple of decades! It's crazy to think that the Italian city that I enjoyed so much could potentially be washed away. My advice is to visit Venice as soon as possible. Ride a gondola. Get lost in the narrow streets. Eat some seafood and buy some funky glass. Venice is a treasure waiting to be discovered.