Done in Venice, on to Ljubljana

Hello everyone,

Thanks for the comments and the support. It definitely has been a weird couple of days. I think I just hit my seven week funk (as I have been calling it) and need to completely change mt focus and direction. So I leave Italy tomorrow and take a very long trip to Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia.

I have been in Venice two days and it has been alright. I arrived to the city in a downpour. It was a completely different city when deluged by rain. But I did get out and walk around. Kris (from Canada) ended up coming to Venice at the same time as me from Florence so we spent the day together. It was really calm and not very busy. We ended up having a nice dinner (I can't resist pizza - by far, the Marguerita is the best). Then we went to a classical concert. It was really fun and a wonderful way to spend a night in Venice. It was Vivaldi's Four Seasons performed by a octet of violins, cello and stand up bass. It was in a church so the acoustics were amazing and the surroundings were beautiful. It helped a little with boosting my mood.

Today was a little better. The weather was beautiful - it was warm and the sun was so bright (sorry to rub it in back home!). So I walked around the city with some people from the hostel and again on my own. My priority was to mail a package home which I so got robbed on - it cost a ridiclous amount as it has to go express (Mom - a really big box will be coming in the next few days). But I had a good day just walking around. Venice is a great place to walk and explore. Inevitably you will get lost but that's fun as you just have to keep going and eventually you will reach a dead end or the Grande Canal. Oh, I almost forgot - I almost went into the canal! I have taken the Traghetto a number of times across the canal and had no problems. A Traghetto is a stripped down gondola that takes passengers from one side of the canal to the other for 50 cents. Plus, you get to stand up in it! So, the problem was yesterday when I was going to look at the water and slipped on the wet steps and slid for about 3 feet. I was right on the edge but saved myself. I have a algae skid mark on my white purse as a souvenir. It was scary (the water is pretty gross) but a good thing I didn't go in.

So, Venice has been nice. The only touristy thing I did was go into San Marco Basilica (the floor mosaics are definitely the highlight) and go up the Camponile to see Venice from above. But that was it.

I have seen so many churches and museums that I do not feel like I have to see anymore in Italy. I also don't feel regret for missing some things I had wanted to see. Although in Florence, before I got on the train to Venice, I did manage to be the first in line to see the David statue at the Accademia and it was worth it. The statue is 5.5 meters tall and as impressive as ever. Michelangelo was a master sculptor for sure.

So that has been the last few days. I have managed to get some sleep and am staring to feel better but I hope a change of scenery will improve everything.

Until Slovenia, much love from Lisa.