Excerpt from Escape to {Venice} :: part one Four hours into our 'nap', we awoke to sounds of men talking and laughing directly below our tall, open window. Evening had come, we were awake and finally ready to start exploring this beautiful Floating City. I put my feelings of homesickness in the back of my mind, and we started our Italian Adventure.
“I learned today that Michelle loves gelato more than food itself.
Thank goodness it’s only 1€!” -- J Walls, 2006 Italy Journal Entry
Thank goodness it’s only 1€!” -- J Walls, 2006 Italy Journal Entry
Why yes. Yes, I DO love it more than food itself! I had my first taste after we awoke from our coma of a nap. It was chocolate. And oh, it was amazing. Gelato is NOTHING like ice cream. It’s this creamy, rich, thick yummy goodness that you almost don’t want to eat because you never want the goodness to end.
We left our Albergo {and I reluctantly posed for a picture!} and followed the sidewalk to the closest bridge. It's pretty easy to find your way around; you just follow the signs posted on buildings on each corner. "Per" means "To", so you always knew which way you were headed ... well, for the most part! Technically you can't really get lost because you're on an island. But it might take you a lot longer than originally anticipated to reach your destination!
We were headed towards St. Mark's Square, and I spotted the Gelateria. I still wasn't feeling wonderful, but I wisely thought, "Is there anything that gelato can't cure?" And the answer is "no". {I also think that a fabulous pair of heels can also cure anything!}
We could smell the sweet fragrance of flavors even before we stepped inside. And once inside, what I saw was incredible. Mounds upon mounds of gelato sat in silver vats displayed behind a rounded glass counter. And they were all covered with their own special topping. You got sprinkles and nuts and chocolate and coconut and caramel for free!
Deciding which flavor to indulge myself with, this being my first Gelato experience, was critical. Should I start with something like Pistachio - a common Italian flavor? Or go fruity with Cantaloupe? After all, this first flavor will be what I base all my gelato experiences on from here on out. This, my friends, was a *major* decision.
After much deliberation, we each chose Chocolate.
And it was perfection. It did not disappoint. Chocolate had now reached new heights. I can't even begin to describe its wonderful goodness!
We could smell the sweet fragrance of flavors even before we stepped inside. And once inside, what I saw was incredible. Mounds upon mounds of gelato sat in silver vats displayed behind a rounded glass counter. And they were all covered with their own special topping. You got sprinkles and nuts and chocolate and coconut and caramel for free!
Deciding which flavor to indulge myself with, this being my first Gelato experience, was critical. Should I start with something like Pistachio - a common Italian flavor? Or go fruity with Cantaloupe? After all, this first flavor will be what I base all my gelato experiences on from here on out. This, my friends, was a *major* decision.
After much deliberation, we each chose Chocolate.
And it was perfection. It did not disappoint. Chocolate had now reached new heights. I can't even begin to describe its wonderful goodness!
We savored our delightful gelato as we walked hand in hand, watching the gondolas move up and down in the venetian lagoon ...
... and wandered down idyllic alleys ...
... until we found ourselves in the piazza at St. Mark's Square.
The sun had set by the time we reached the Square. The Campanile {bell tower}, Doges Palace and St. Mark's Basilica were illuminated with lights that made them look magical. We were in the middle of a movie.
The Italian Piazza {or Campo} is the hub of all activity. It's where the elderly sit and talk about their day and cafe's set up tables and chairs outside of their building. Families meet up and let their children run off and play together. LIFE happens in the piazza. And even though it was dark, St. Mark's was still bustling with activity.
There was so much to take in - a slight scent of cigarette smoke, pigeons galore, Italians conversing with both their mouth and hands, the motors of boats in the nearby lagoon, and the massiveness of the buildings that surrounded us.
But one thing was missing.
There were no cars. No trucks. Amid the activity of Venice, we were surrounded by a calm quiet.
And in the midst of this quietness, we stopped under massive 13th century pillers and shared our first Italian kiss.
The Italian Piazza {or Campo} is the hub of all activity. It's where the elderly sit and talk about their day and cafe's set up tables and chairs outside of their building. Families meet up and let their children run off and play together. LIFE happens in the piazza. And even though it was dark, St. Mark's was still bustling with activity.
There was so much to take in - a slight scent of cigarette smoke, pigeons galore, Italians conversing with both their mouth and hands, the motors of boats in the nearby lagoon, and the massiveness of the buildings that surrounded us.
But one thing was missing.
There were no cars. No trucks. Amid the activity of Venice, we were surrounded by a calm quiet.
And in the midst of this quietness, we stopped under massive 13th century pillers and shared our first Italian kiss.
“Tonight I shared a kiss with my true love in an antiquated square as a quartet’s song finished
resonating throughout this dimming piazza. What magic!” -- J Walls, Italy 2006 Journal Entry
