The Colors of Life

"A person often meets his destiny on the road he takes to avoid it"

The train pulled into the floating station and we excitedly trickled out onto the Island of Venice. It looks nothing like how it is portrayed in the media or popular entertainment – it is infinitely more charming and pleasing to the eyes. Everything functions via water: taxis, public transport, ambulances, trade and even the postal service. With a pass for our entire visit granting us unlimited access to the ferries, we hopped onto the nearest one on the way to the Island of Lido where our hotel was. Off the south-west coast from central Venezia, Lido is 12 km long. In our opinion, it has the best pizza and the best gelato in all of Venice. After checking in and settling down we were determined to explore every inch of our ‘home Island’ that night.

Quintessential view from Rialto Bridge (overlooking where we ate dinner that night)

It was a fairly local town with hardly any tourists but huge residential complexes that probably house the rich Italian elites who escape here in the summer. Mansions rose magnificently around every corner and it was possibly the only place where we saw any real cars on the road; dozens of cafés, bars and specialty food stores beckon seductively to the lone passer-by. We ate dinner at an upscale restaurant that served the best red wine we’ve ever tasted and claimed to have over two thirds of the tables reserved for loyal patrons who would show up around 10.00pm.

It had to be done: stratiacella and hazelnut gelato completed the night. It was fudgy but creamy, sweet but not overpowering, and as close to perfection as one can hope to realize. We silently devoured each mouthful and gleefully envisioned nights and nights of endless deliciousness.

What better cultural experience than to watch a movie in a foreign language? Watching the new 007 James Bond movie in Italian without subtitles in the cozy theatre behind the crowded gelateria in Lido, Venice. It goes to show how universal our ability is to pick up on subtleties presented to all our senses – we were confident we understood more or less the finer points of the plot and were quickly proven right by the internet. A great start to a city waiting for us to befriend it; befriend it we did as we rode countless water boats, walked practically the entire central island, hopped off a boat at a random island on a whim, visited three different islands in addition to the main one, and did justice to the familiar souvenirs urging us to take them home.

This about sums up Venice: adorable and unbelievably enchanting

Starting at the very top of the Grand Canal the next day, we made our way through the busy market streets as well as the simple alleys that revealed to us people hanging out of their windows conversing with each other, hanging up their laundry in the middle of the street and cooking something that smelled inconceivably mouthwatering. We browsed the famous Rialto street market, bought Venetian masks, carnival decorations and out-of-season-strawberries. We were astounded by Piazza San Marco and the Church of St. Mark, both the principal public spaces in Venice. We ate lunch with the pigeons by the sea-side (really, it is the lagoon-side) and walked quite a ways along the coast, stopping at the Bridge of Sighs, the Navy museum, street shows and the public gardens. It was surreal: we were in Venice – the city above water, the city of romance, the city of color, and the city of magnificent architecture. The plethora of Churches and grandiose buildings glistened powerfully in the early morning dew and mist from the waters. Words are not enough to do the view justice, but maybe pictures might help.

St.Mark's Church in Piazza San Marco

Artsy snapshot of the Bridge of Sighs (made of limestone; windows provided convicts of their last view of Venice before their imprisonment)

Nonchalance is this Church's middle name. Inside we witnessed a Catholic service (the Nicene Creed) in Italian

As we tiredly but cheerfully sat down to dinner by the water, we marveled at the clichéd-ness of the situation. With portions of dinner outrageously insufficient, we still savored the novelty of eating dinner by the Grand Canal in Venice. What was savored even more was the dark (and I mean almost black) chocolate gelato with mint chocolate chips that followed. Twice…because once just wasn’t enough that night. It was a moment of delirious happiness and the night could not have gotten any better. However, being the semester that it has been thus far, of course it did. It always gets better: with impressive and unexpected twists of events, we returned to the hotel to discover that Notre Dame is ranked number one for college football. Not knowing too much about the sport, it still means the world to me. While I am having the most spectacular time in Europe, I can only imagine the blissful delight and exhilaration that is gripping campus. It will be the best welcome home present. Go Irish!

Halfway done with our time in the city, the next day was dedicated to the islands of Murano and Burano. And the special island we spontaneously disembarked onto. After what seemed to be a never-ending ferry ride to the island, when we finally arrived we were more than satisfied. The glass-making collection of Venetian Islands boasts of prosperous beginnings and thriving trade. It consisted of streets and streets of neatly lined and decadently stocked stores selling original Murano glass. Imagine the wildest contortion of glass possible, and then add about twenty different colors. Make it shiny and translucently radiant and you have only come close to beholding an image close to the actual magical objects of wonder.

Glass fire in the middle of the paved walkway. Sent chills down the spine

All but a couple of furnaces were closed that day and we hesitantly approached the biggest retailer hoping to get a demonstration of glass-blowing. As we walked around and headed hastily towards the heat and the light, we were overjoyed to learn that they decided to give us a free presentation. It was more than we could have hoped for. With front row seats and interactive moments, we were mesmerized by the speed, accuracy and flair that go into a work of such perfect art. It ended with the glass-blower presenting me with a free glass-flower painted a delicate shade of baby pink. Italians always know how to win hearts everywhere. Ecstatic with our purchases, we left and headed to the next island.

On the way we took a small detour and landed in Cimiterio, the only cemetery in Venice. It was a huge island and we walked past the legacies of those lost over the years. With beautiful graves and burial gifts, they ranged from the early 1800s to the present. It was established by Napolean, before which people were simply buried in parish plots across town. With a long philosophical discussion about life, death and whatever else may or may not exist to keep us company, we paid our tributes and made our way to Burano. Think Venice and think pastel colored houses with black wrought-iron balconies. Think bridges over narrow waters, a peaceful distant melody that harmoniously drives the relaxed way of life, warm comforts that awaken the palette…it is Burano you’re dreaming of. The most colorful assortment of vivid buildings side by side is on display, sure to stun you and never let you put your camera down. Boats and gondolas float enticingly nearby, innocently watching the world go by. The intricate lace pieces produced by the island are the icing on top of the cake. It is impossible not to sound cliché while describing the beauty there is to behold.

No such thing as a favorite color in Venice

With the evening getting dark and chilly, we pensively made our way back to Lido for a quiet dinner by the hotel. It was quiet alright, but it was also the best pizza in the whole world. Everything about it: the crust that effortlessly flaked off, the tangy tomato sauce highlighted the flavors of all the toppings, and each bite was irresistibly devoured. For dessert we strongly decided against the nutella pizza, but weakly gave in to the gelato cravings that hit duly as soon as we stepped outside. It was a necessity, and wasn’t regretted in the slightest. Tucking in to a nostalgic movie was a great way to end the day and end our visit to the city. We awoke fresh and eager to continue our journey, gratified by our immensely fruitful stay in Venice.

Hidden alleyways that only the lucky few stumble upon

‘Twas the city that promised many things and had tall orders to live up to; it truly was the city that exceeded by all measures everything we could ever hope to experience. Before we boarded the train we were approached by some bold young school-going children who inquisitively interviewed us about where we are from. It was highly amusing and enlightening to meet them and their teacher and be a part of their assignment to “see the world and the people who come to visit the city of Venice”. Talk about perfect goodbyes. Onwards to the next leg of our shenanigans – Florence: under the Tuscan Sun shall we forever be.

"To build a city where it is impossible to build a city is madness in itself, but to build there one of the most elegant and grandest of cities is the madness of genius."