venice.

side/top note: you can click on the pictures to make them larger :).

on monday vivian, dominic, and i took the train into venice. it was raining and raining on our way and a few minutes before we got off the train, the rain stopped. the sun came out and the clouds moved out. it turned out to be an incredibly gorgeous, gorgeous day. we arrived without a plan of what we wanted to see and so we just started walking. the buildings were my most favorite part of venice. the color palate is just beyond what i even imagined. i wish i could post all of the pictures, but of course there is limited space.

we managed not to actually go in any building except restaurants, gelato places, and bakeries. the lines were long and everything cost money to see. there were so many tourists that we decided to take a few pictures outside and then venture back into the actual streets of venice. we got lost. and got lost again, but thank goodness i decided i would collect maps from each place i go and i bought one in the beginning. it was so tricky because we knew we were going in the right direction, but then the street would come to a dead end at a canal without a bridge to cross. as for what we did see was the


basilica di san marco
piazza san marco

canal grande


santi giovanni e paolo
and a few others, in which i forgot the names

i wanted to take a gondola ride, but they were so expensive. this picture will have to suffice.

i was really digging the neo liberalism graffiti on the walls like these:

vivian made friends with this little doggie in the window:

i found all of these frames that i really wanted to buy, but the place was not open. my face is clearly showing that i am very concerned about this...

i also paid for very first bathroom. 80 euro cents.

most importantly, vivian and i found some gorgeous italian leather purses. oh, they are just so wonderful. mine is mustard colored and hers is red. we were stoked.

oh and, somehow i forgot my little nike tennis shoes at vivian's house, which i didn't realize until i went to wear them on sunday. so i'm having to wear my new boat shoes, but they aren't very conducive to rain (i know i know--you'd think boat shoes would be good for water. so did i).


as vivian would say, our trip to venice was "really, really" fun!! thank you dominic for putting up with us all day :)

arrivederci,
e.