Finding the Venetians

First of all, please excuse the substitute of quotation marks for apostraphies, I cannot find them on the computer.

Yesterday I arrived at my hotel in Venice to be informed by the only other student not traveling with the group over from the states that yes, their flight has been delayed. Delayed by a strike from the pilots, for five hours. So yes, the group is still on the ground in Paris, an hour after they were scheduled to land in Venice. Which was a blessing in disguise.

Jake, the sophomore printmaker who informed me, and I walked around the neighborhood of the hotel for a while, getting lunch hanging out, until 8 pm, when the group arrived (original arrival time: 11.40 am).

Venice lacks the public green space that the states have because most of it is behind closed doors. However, after spending 1.5 hours eating lunch we wander into a green space next to a church just on the edge of a small canal. While sitting there atleast two dogs tried to relieve themselves extremely close to us, with another three smelling us. On the steps leading down to the canal a group of a Venetian father with his two young sons (4 and 6 maybe) and their cousin (12ish) [visiting from the UK] were crabbing near the side of the canal on the steps leading down to the blue water just below. Additionally, a boat of seven people parked next to the canal, the two youngest men hopped over the stone wall to the sidewalk (a small 5 feet, but we were hoping to see the more elderly couple attempt the same....never happened!). They returned with a bottle of champagne and hors d"oeurves (spelling?!?), and jumped back into the boat. Over the next 45 minutes they continued to socialize, drink, and eat. Throughout the time they group greeting quite a number of other locals. Afterwards, the same two men jumped back over the stone wall to return the plates, cups, and empty bottle. Then they turned right around and drove out the way they came!

The moral of the story: I have finally found the Venetian Venice, with locals and community that are the few remants of this vibrant city. And was so relieved to see it.

Vive Venice!