Gondole!

Today was an incredibly busy day, but I think we accomplished more than we had thus far the entire trip. We started with a visit to the Ca'Foscari library. After that we stopped at a nearby supermarket, Billa, to pick up some necessities. We also acquired Billa club cards, so now we really feel like we belong here. After that, there were several more stops, and we ended up running a little late, so rather than go all the way back to San Servolo and have to rush through lunch in order to get back for our Italian class on time, we decided to get lunch at an authentic osteria- a small, famiy type restaurant. In an osteria, everything is displayed in a case up front; you pick what you want, and they make you a plate. I wasn't quite adventurous enough to try the squid in black ink sauce this time around, but I did have bacala, a traditional Venetian dish- basically a spread made with cod. After lunch was Italian class, in which we made a huge leap; we now know enough to compose some actual sentences. But our day was not over yet; in fact, the best was yet to come. Professors Allen and Felluga had us at their apartment for a wonderful authentic Italian dinner, complete with antipasti (appetizers), a first and second course, and dessert. Between the antipasti and the main course, we were divided into pairs and given instructions for a scavenger hunt. Each pair received a piece of paper describing their particular mission, which we were not to open until we were outside. We were required to speak only Italian, and forbidden from showing anyone else the paper. Audrey and I had to get directions to Campo Santa Marina and pick up a cake Professor Allen had ordered earlier. Before we could eat it, though, we had the main course; salmon, polenta, and zucchini, and then a surprise. The surprise was a night gondola trip, which was absolutely amazing. Earlier in the day, we had been discussing taking a gondola ride, because that's basically the tourist thing to do in Venice, but I think tonight's trip turned out even better than anyone could imagine. It was a nice, cool evening, and we were rowed down quiet canals, along quiet streets, and under quiet bridges. Much of the time, the only sound came from the oars in the water. It was incredibly peaceful, which was a nice change from our busy schedule and the bustle of the tourist areas during the day, and being down in the canal like that, I really felt close to Venice. That is how you should see Venice. It's not just something fabricated for tourists; it's the way Venetians have traveled the canals for centuries. During dinner, part of the conversation centered around our favorite and least favorite things so far. It was easy to pick least favorite things, because there were so few negatives from which to choose, but I couldn't decide on a favorite thing at all. Now I have one. So far.