Venice is certainly a city that I will continue to return to.
People who I spoke with prior to the trip said something similar to that effect. Those who stayed less time have less of an allegiance and connection. Our final night, the whole group dined out at a friendly restaurant. There was a three course price fixe that Kathy and Marina arranged for us. Prosecco and water were also amply provided.
BREAD: Bread is almost always served but never any olive oil. I think the group as a whole missed butter. Later on when Kelly and I were on the plane back home, they served butter to us. What a strange concept!? Butter on bread, butter itself? Some people eagerly surveyed the area for olive oil but were stopped by Marina. "We just don't to that here." She was very defensive of the her proper culture, and I respect and commend that. I don't blame here, that's how culture is preserved.
Course One: A perfectly served al dente bowtie tossed in a light olive oil and finely diced vegetables. Yum! We had a few finicky eaters. This was a rather plain dish but I watched on as some used the entire parmesan provided to completely mask the taste of the pasta. To me, that's a shame. I also watched another pick out each vegetable. I'm not one to mix food on my plate but if it's pre-blended and served that way, there must be a reason for it. In this case, the pairings were exquisite.
Course Two: Tender veal in a lemon reduction paired with caramelized carrots (covered in sesame seeds) and gently baked potatoes. Geena spotted the demon seeds before I was served and I was able to get my plate without them. I was very lucky with my allergy for the entirety of the trip. The only close call I had was in Lido when I ferociously snarfed down some crackers that had trace amounts of sesame in them. Luckily, I was able to shake it off. The main course was good but a bit too tart for my taste buds.
Dessert: Tiramisu. I'm still not a fan, but I was stuffed anyway.
After we were all a little bit silly from the wine and chubby with our full stomachs, we headed to San Marc's square for a farewell photo. It was flooded. The same holes that discard rain water are responsible for flooding. It makes a great photo but the actuality and reality of what is really happening is nothing short of grim. The city sinking and with the constant alterations and tourism, it's heading towards it's death. Each year the flooding worsens. Marinia even mentioned the possibility of constructing a tunnel from the airport, Venice, and Lido. The ecosystem is fragile enough. They shouldn't alter it anymore.
Cruise Ships- I have been on about 5 or 6 cruises. It's a great way to cover a lot of the ground and in a short period of time, that's about it. I was rather young when I traveled this way. From what I can remember, they did a good job "advertising" on board that they were eco friendly. There were bull shit signs everywhere that said something to the effect of "save the waves, don't litter." That's all well and fine that the passengers don't litter but what about all the ecological harm that was caused so that the ship can fit into the port? In Venice's case, irreversible dredging damage has been done to the ports in order to accommodate the ships. It's a scary scary world out there. But hey, litter away - the gulf spill is the end of it all anyway.
Back to cruising - The amount of food was a joke but looking back, it never reflected the local cuisine at all. Did I even go to those specific ports? Was I even traveling at all? Most likely not. Thousands of tri-state area gluttons flop themselves onto these traveling cities and pollute with their masses. Hardly a vacation when you never really leave what you're comfortable.
Take a deep breath Kim.
Back to our final night as a group-
For awhile, we just stood and soaked everything up. We took a few pictures and I asked Ray if he would dance with me. He was looking damn good in his sport jacket and khakis. On our way out, we tangoed - neither of knew how, but we had a ball. We tore that square up. I think people even enjoyed watching us. Looking back on it, we should have had a rose in one of our mouths. I love living out the most tacky cliches, it's great fun!It's hard to conceptualize the bond that has been forged with Venice. One of my friends spent a considerable amount of time in Venice. Before my trip, we went out to grab a bite to eat. He was gleaming with excitement and envy for me. We communicated almost daily and he was always eager to hear about my journey. It wasn't until I left Venice that I realized why he had so much envy. All the pieces fell into place.
My favorite part about Venice is that it's based on reciprocity. If you care about her and put in the time, she'll show you just as much love. Obviously this works both ways too. Kelly and I stayed an extra day. On our final stroll, we passed our first friend that we made - Salvatore. He was saddened to hear that we were leaving and wished us the best on our journey. The friendly wine boy said the same. Eddie, our beloved Albanian bartender, gave us all giant hugs as we parted ways. (Hell, I would too If I had 10 students empty their pockets in to my hands!)
A reflection on traveling with 9 essentially strangers-
Ramapo College of New Jersey is hardly a mecca for diversity. Out of the 10 of us, 6 were from Bergen County, one was from the shore, one from Passaic County, and one from Sussex. Despite our close proximity, we varied greatly. Some people commuted, some transfered, and some lived on campus. My college experience hasn't been your typical one. After not going to my first and only choice school (hockey recruiting mishap,) I settled for the close and comfortable Ramapo. I've tried to like it, I really have. In fact I hated it until this trip. My first year I lived in a triple dorm. I liked one of the girls a lot and the other one stunk, literally. My second year I lived in an on campus apartment and since I was so familiar with the area, there was no distinction from work, school, or family. My 3rd year I lived with my then boyfriend. I thought at the time it was the right thing to do for my independence but it in fact threw me backwards on the spectrum. Living back at home has perpetuated my independence. I was previously concerned with which direction my career would take me in. I'm not worried now. I think I have enough wit and the ability to think on my toes to work in a variety of situations. I was fed up with school prior to this trip, that's partly why I wanted to graduate early. I changed my mind, my liberal arts education has given me enough material to excel in multiple fields. Now I want to figure out how to finance an international grad school or fieldwork via my employers. The quest will commence once I am not charged 5 euro an hour for internet.
People on the trip-
Everyone had their quirks. I've known 2 girls since age 5. It was a real treat to see what they've grown into - completely different from what I had expected. It's a beautiful thing to be an observer and watch people grow. This trip served that purpose for a few people. They really came into themselves. Having coached for a few years now, it's really cool to watch people mature. I don't want to sound like an old bag hypocrite, I am only 20 - but I've always had an older soul despite my young age. I was always a bit cocky and out spoken, but also reserved. A few months ago, I snapped out of that. I lost my identity for a few years and let others dictate my path. After coming to that actualization, I was a much happier person. Some people on the trip were extremely vocal. I let everything slide. Since I rediscovered who I am, others have the right to be themselves as well. I'm much less judgmental. I still am fixated when it comes to designer authenticity, but little stuff doesn't matter to me anymore. Oh no- I'm getting a little too Buddhist.
One of my favorite Zen sayings is "leap and the net will appear."
I'm not afraid to skin my knees or get a bug bite. Battle wounds are more interesting than perfection and botox anyway.
With 4 nights left in Italy, I'm not ready to go back yet. Of course I miss my family and friends, even some comforts - but there's way too much to explore.
My next trip:
- I'm taking one singular backpack
- Destination: either South America or Europe, can't decide. This travel bug is a real thing after all, and it's bitten me hard.
About a year ago, a Canadian friend of mine sent me the name of a program in Spain where you live at a five star hotel and help business execs from all over Europe learn and speak English. That's well and great, but how do I become one of those execs? Spanish isn't so scary anymore to me. Just plunk yourself down in the native country and you'll learn. It's sink or swim. I'd love to pursue an academic future but I've developed a taste for fine food and quality goods. How the hell do I finance those tastes?!
Some final Venice stuff:
-ACTV workers (the Vaporetto) are the sexiest men in Venice. Their tanned skin goes beautifully with their designer glasses.
- Venice is absolutely safe and secure, much more so then the rest of the places that I traveled in Italy.
Things that I won't miss
- Algae!
This was the sight of the crime
- African purse salesmen - if a NY street vendor followed me, I'd deck him.
- Rose solicitors
- Pizza, I'd be OK if I never had another slice for as long as I love
- Squid, anchovies, and spritz
- The lack of gyms. On the last day I found one in the tiniest ally!
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