While we were traveling on Easter Break, I visited 9 cities, in 4 countries, in a matter of 18 days. Looking back, I realize how crazy that is and how lucky I am. I realize that when I travel, it just seems like the normal thing to do, oh you know, just going to Rome this weekend, no big deal, but then looking back at it, I realize how surreal it was. Did I really just go to Rome? What is my life right now? I don’t think I know what a normal life is anymore! I look back on all my travels and I just smile. That’s all I can do. I smile the biggest when I think of Venice. I fell in love with Venice the moment I stepped onto the island. Everything about the island is beautiful to me. I think I may have taken a picture of every side canal on the island. Every corner you turn, there is another beautiful view, another canal that is picture perfect. I was so in love. We got to the island around 9:30 in the morning and it was a little chilly. We walked around and around, since there is always something new to see, and we took everything in. Waiting for the sun to decide to come out for our gondola ride.


The gondola ride is definitely a highlight in my book of life. It was everything I had dreamed of. It was a beautiful time to do it, we waited until the sun decided to pop out to say “hi!” and we hopped on a boat. The gondolas themselves are impressive, they are all painted black in remembrance to all those who died in a plague that swept through Venice a long long time ago. Ever since then, they have all been black. The insides, though, are all different, and they are all extravagant. I sat in the couple seat with Lauren at the end on the boat, in front of our gondola driver.
The best part though, of course, was the actual ride. It was absolutely incredible. So beautiful. The Grand Canal in and of itself is so beautiful, but then we veered off the Grand Canal and took the side canals and pretty alley canals that you would never find on your own. Our driver maneuvered us through some pretty tight canals and it was amazing. They were so pretty and it was so quiet and peaceful. Our driver informed us that now; Venice is made up of 120 smaller islands, connected by 420 bridges. 420! That is a lot of bridges. Pretty much every block of houses that is surrounded by canals is its own island. And every canal has its own street name. How cool is that? We sailed past the Palace, and the biggest fish market in Venice as well as the flower market. I was a beautiful ride. The funniest part was there were so many tourists taking pictures of our gondola because, you know, it’s a gondola and it’s awesome, so when we saw someone taking a picture of our boat, we would smile, or make a face and wave for their picture. It became a game while we were on the Grand Canal and there were people everywhere taking pictures. It was hysterical. We were on the ride for 45 minutes and I did not want to get off the boat when we were done. It was the best day of my life up to that point and I was in heaven. Venice is breathtaking and I cannot wait to go back someday!