Venice Imagined

Part One

Venice has always been one of the places I've wanted to travel to. No matter how hard I would have to work or how long I would have to plan I knew I would travel to Venice at least once in my lifetime. Now that my departure is only a day away I can’t help but imagine what I will encounter once I arrive. In my head I’m already building up what an amazing experience I will have fulfilling this dream of mine.

The exact details haven’t quite formed so right now I imagine the whole trip as a series of amazing sights, people, and events. It all seems a little surreal that in less than twenty four hours I will be on a plane making my way across the ocean to a place everyone dreams of traveling but few truly experience. I know the movies I've seen and books I've read can only scratch the surface of describing Venice as a whole, but they are my main source of background information and are the basis for how I imagine the city.

However after reading de Botton’s The Art of Travel, I know I should try to remind myself that the perfect picture I've formed in my mind is probably not exactly how my trip will turn out. All the movies and books I've encountered romanticize Venice. The confusion, jet lag, and emotional stress that could be present while I'm travelling aren't included in the movies and books. Only the best parts of travel make the cut. The pictures I see online don’t normally include everything I’ll have to deal with. Beyond the frame I know there are lines, crowds, and other issues that I have to keep in mind. It may not meet my exact picture for what the trip will be, but that’s ok. The opportunity I've been presented with is amazing and I will make the best of this experience no matter what.

Part Two: First Impressions

After what has to be one of the longest days of my life I can honestly say I’m in love with Venice. I may have had to endure an eight hour plane ride with a child crying the entire way, a three hour layover, and the madness and confusion of jet lag, but it was definitely worth it. It is so beautiful here it seems like I'm dreaming instead of being awake. However getting here was a journey and it has formed some pretty memorable first impressions in my mind.

The first thing we did when we landed was purchase tickets for the “water bus” that we would be using all week. That first ride was long and at first I couldn't really tell I was in Venice. To me it just looked like another lake/river. It wasn't until we got closer to the city itself that I was able to shake off some of my fatigue and trade it in for genuine excitement.

When we docked we were in the middle of crowds of people. Even after mentally preparing myself for the masses I would face it took me a little by surprise. Plus there didn't seem to be any sort of pattern to follow. We would all be moving along and then a group would stop to take a picture and the whole line would back up.

After these first two encounters Venice was not shaping up to be what I expected, however then we got to San Servolo. It is amazing how a ten minute boat ride can change everything. Our homes for the week are located on an island off of Venice associated with the international university. It is gorgeous. Our window view is of the water and the entire island is something I’m looking forward to coming back to every night.

Next up on the day’s activities were walking tours. At first I wasn't looking forward to them because all I envisioned pushing past people for hours on end. However Professor Allen took us off the beaten path and showed us what Venice looks like without all of the tourist madness. It’s almost unbelievable how one turn can take you from jam packed streets to calm and quite ones. All the beautiful buildings, shops, and bridges really do prove the beauty of Venice.

So after what seemed like a never ending day I've made the big transition. I've gone from imagining what my vacation could be like based on others' thoughts and descriptions to knowing exactly how I first view Venice. As the week goes on I expect even these first impressions will change, but for right now Venice is looking fantastic.