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What can I say about Venice? You probably have heard enough stories about how nice Venice is so I just give you some statistics.
- Venice is built on 117 small islands and has some 150 canals and 400 bridges.
- There is no cars in the city. All public transport is via the canals on vaporetti (passenger boats)
- Due to soaring property values, most of the "locals" move out to live in Mestre, an industrial estate nearby.
I enjoyed my stay in Venice greatly, partly cos I made a few friends there when we went hostel-hunting in Venice together. After 4 days of hanging around together, me (a Vietnamese), Luke (a Singaporean), Giles (a Scottish),
Jake (an American studying in Paris) and Yukiko (a Jap girl stuyding English in Brighton) we could talk about anything under the sun, and anything not under the sun *wink*...
Jake taught us how to tell if a wine is complex from its colours, its residues and how to taste your wine with you tongue and your nose. Moreover, we learn from Yukiko how in Japan it goes "Man first, women second" which explains why she insisted on opening the door for us and not letting anyone holding the door for her. :>... sounds good heh!
We celebrated New Year together by opening some wines and champagne in San Marco Square. This year, the authority does not display any firework but that didn't stop people from buying their own firecrackers and fireworks to celebrate New Year. We were standing in a kind of circle and everyone threw their firework in the middle. I bet some of the guys did use dynamites cos some firecrackers really shook the whole square.
At midnite, we started running towards the centre, ignoring the ongoing fireworks and started dancing around under the champagne bubbles splashed out from hundreds bottles. The crowd was insane with bottles flying around mixing with fireworks all around but noone cares, some men were dancing while others formed a huge human train and started running around the square. It was dizzying cos everything around you became blur with the visions of fireworks, with the sounds of bottles cracking, and people dancing around you.
We left the square a bit later than 1 am and we were practically walking on shattered glasses. I was surprised noone got hurt in the process.
Jake,me, Giles, Yukiko and Luke in San Marco Square.
A typical site of Venice.
Venice at dusk.
Another photo of Venice taken on the boat ride.
New Year's eve at San Marco Square.
The serene beauty of Venice on the first sunrise of the New Year.
Here come the first view of the glowing sun in the year 2002.
Beers and Whoppers in Burger King.
Venice from the top view.
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