Waking up in the morning and walking outside into a bright sunny city were noise seems to happily embrace you is an experience unknown to me before Venice. To feel the life, the heartbeat of the city pulsing with movement, joy, and vibrancy with every breath and word uttered in the near vicinity. Italy is a place of passion, where people do not simply go through the motions of life, they live it. I felt that here in Venice and love it.
We took a water taxi as a method of touring the marvelous Grand canal of Venice. The open expansive water ways bordered by buildings like cliff edges. The buildings are beautiful and old-looking. Some dilapidated, others wildly vibrant with color and life. I was told that actually Venice is not very inhabited in the home on the Canal, only the rich can afford it so many of these beautiful homes ar left empty, to watch over the waterways like silent lonesome guardians.
The color of Venice is gorgeous, each green waterway leads down some beautiful alleyway where mysterious adventures lie waiting for other times. There is just a majesty unmatched here and it leaves you with an astounding feeling of awe and appreciation for this sinking city.
It feels almost like magic as we ride on our boat through the veins of the city, watching life unravel before us, hearing snippets of italian on the wind and sounds of life.
Our first stop in Venice besides the Grand Canal boat ride was the Rialto Bridge. This great white arch over the Grand Canal is teeming with people, street vendors, and glorious merchant/ artisan shops.
It is a center of activity and we made sure to stop at the Rialto market to buy some fruit for later.
It is strange, at Italian markets they do not let you touch anything. No testing of ripeness or for bad spots on fruit, you tell the merchant what type you want and how many and they give you which ever they choose. This was very strange for me to actually be chastised for touching fruit that I was going to buy.
They also had some interesting foods that I am not used to seeing at my local farmer’s market. It was really fun interacting with the people who just try to live their lives here in Venice, not tourists.
On the actual Rialto we found beautiful shops full of Venetian glass, handmade leather, and of course Venetian masks made with artful and caring hands. It was ana amazing way to start our adventure. Once off the water, an entire new world of Venice is revealed, hidden in dark alley ways, bright open Piazzas, and artisan shops as well as magnificent restaurants. All of this was waiting on th other side of that bridge, and we crossed it hungrily.