June 1, 2014 - Venice

I left Cologne at 4 AM and had a long day of traveling ahead. Taking the train to Munich was empty and comfortable, so I got some much needed rest during most of the 4 hour trip. After a short layover there I transferred to a bus bound for Venice and my rest was no more. The train was packed and my leg room was short, sitting in a seat facing other passengers. I did my normal routine - read my book, listened to music, and tried whatever I could to make the time pass. It was a 6.5 hour trip through the Alps and although I didn't have that great a view, what I did see was stunning. I will have to revisit them sometime while I am staying in Gräfelfing.

Eventually arriving in Venice at 6 pm, I was just happy to be done with a 14 hour day in transit. The clouds had just started to roll in and the rain began. I arrived in the city (bought a slice of pizza for dinner) and immediately looked to take the bus out of it; to find my hostel on the mainland, Camping Rialto. I would stay in a two person tent with Omar, a traveler and graphic designer from Mexico. Only there for 3 nights, I mostly just wanted to relax and not try to push too much planning into the last leg of an already hectic trip. I fell asleep just as the thunder, and the party, began outside.

The campsite was very nice I realized, as I explored it the next day, made even better by the sunny weather and smell of fresh rain. My next day consisted of plopping down beside a power outlet to write and edit photos. This was exactly what the doctor ordered. I met plenty of people who came through the area I was seated to go to the bar and restaurant also located at the campsite, hence the party the night before. After walking to a small grocer to buy food for my stay, I came to realize that most everyone camping there was American or at least English speaking. It was nice to have the comfort of easy communication, and an obvious sign of the amount of tourism in Venice.

Later that night, after I was finally done on my computer, people started congregating near the bar again. I was able to talk more without feeling distracted. Everyone seemed really fun and it turned out most of us were traveling alone. As another storm came in the same time that evening we groaned as the internet faded away for the night. I then learned that it is a daily occurrence there. We shared stories of the places we've been and places we're going. Prague and obviously Venice seems a common theme among American tourists. Memories of the crowded Czech streets didn't have me too excited about walking around Venice, but nevertheless it had to be done.

I made plans to go to the city with two chill guys from the west coast, Dane and Eric. Venice was beautiful no doubt, and the streets weren't as packed as in Prague. Wine, pizza, and gelato is very cheap there which is, suffice to say, awesome. I had my fill often, especially with wine. The picturesque scenes were only limited by the tall buildings blocking the vistas, and our time, inevitably to be cut short by the 6 pm thunderstorm. The bridges provided the best vantage points to take in the city and wonderful architecture. We took a seat next to the canal, watching the gondolas go by while sipping our spritzes, and discussed the fantasy vs. reality of a 15 minute, 80 euro boat ride while the gondolier types away on his iPhone. If the riders went to Venice with this as a romantic goal, their disappointment was palpable.

 

My most memorable moment there came when we stumbled along a small group of merchants. They were selling mostly the normal tourist souvenirs, but a small stack of papers led me to rifle through. I found an amazing print, taken from a plate by the 16th century master, Albrecht Dürer. I snatched it up almost immediately after inspecting it's authenticity as much as possible. I'm in the process of more research now, and it looks promising. Although it is a contemporary printing and might not be worth much more than the 10 euros I paid, I am in love with it and so happy to add it to my collection.

By the time the evening came I felt like I had only seen 1/10 of the sights to be had, but weary as I was of being a tourist I was excited for the next day when I would take my final train to Munich. We returned to the campsite before the rain hit. That night I met some new people and relaxed with more wine, bread, salami, and cheese. I packed for the next day and went to sleep around midnight. It had been a wild and emotional 11 days of sightseeing and conversation, mixed with the adjustment of missing Krista, my wonderful fiancee who is supporting and encouraging me on this trip. Landing in Munich would bring the regularity we need to communicate often - a necessity to make it through these 2 months apart.

Boarding my train in Venice at 1:30 pm the next day, I breathed a sigh of relief. Munich lies just beyond the Alps.