Ciao!
So yes, for those of you who have been asking, I do have class. I'm taking Comparative Non-Profit Organizations but it has been combined with the Comparative Civil Rights class thus far. Both have been really interesting, but it's really more of an inconvenience than anything! We're all pretty sure the professors feel the same way. It's a 3 hour class but we take a half hour cappuccino break and have been ending early every day. Tomorrow in lieu of class we are taking a tour of UNESCO... which in a room of 9 people right now, no one knew what it stood for (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).
In our class we have 3 Italian students and a French student. It's really cool having them in the class because they have a very different perspective on things. It's just kind of hard understanding them from time to time but they are all really really nice. Federico, an Italian student, and Didier, the French kid, walked a Jill, Russ, Tiffani, and I over to the train station. The whole way Didier told me about all the best churches and museums we need to go to and spelled them out for me so I could jot them down as we walked.
When we got to the train station they both stopped to point out to us that it was built by the Nazi's. The clean lines of the building definitely stood out from everything else in the area. "Facist Architecture" as they called it.
Federico brought us into the train station and waited in line with us for about 20 minutes so that he could negotiate a good price for us for when we go to Geneva. I seriously have no idea how we would have gotten those tickets without him. He ended up getting us a really good price too so we were really happy about that. The Italian guys are going to take the train with us (instead of flying like we were supposed to, but would have been like 300 Euro) and said they'd supply the "materials" for the train... meaning lots of wine. Federico assured us that we'd go straight to the bars in Geneva if necessary!
After that Jill, Russ, and I (yes, the same people I am constantly with) took the vaperetto, which is like the public waterbus, down to San Marco.
In our class we have 3 Italian students and a French student. It's really cool having them in the class because they have a very different perspective on things. It's just kind of hard understanding them from time to time but they are all really really nice. Federico, an Italian student, and Didier, the French kid, walked a Jill, Russ, Tiffani, and I over to the train station. The whole way Didier told me about all the best churches and museums we need to go to and spelled them out for me so I could jot them down as we walked.
When we got to the train station they both stopped to point out to us that it was built by the Nazi's. The clean lines of the building definitely stood out from everything else in the area. "Facist Architecture" as they called it.
Federico brought us into the train station and waited in line with us for about 20 minutes so that he could negotiate a good price for us for when we go to Geneva. I seriously have no idea how we would have gotten those tickets without him. He ended up getting us a really good price too so we were really happy about that. The Italian guys are going to take the train with us (instead of flying like we were supposed to, but would have been like 300 Euro) and said they'd supply the "materials" for the train... meaning lots of wine. Federico assured us that we'd go straight to the bars in Geneva if necessary!
After that Jill, Russ, and I (yes, the same people I am constantly with) took the vaperetto, which is like the public waterbus, down to San Marco.
from left to right: some random flag, the italian flag, the european union flag, the venetian flag
We took advantage of the beautiful day and went up the Campanile di San Marco, the big tower with "the best view in all of Venice".
Then we walked around for the next few hours, stopping for some Italian beer and looking in all the shops. We decided today that 90% of buildings in Venice are either Panino shops, Gelaterias, or Government Buildings. Oh, and mask shops.the Bascilla San Marco
All along the water there are people selling fake Prada and Gucci. Terrible fakes too. This stuff would NOT fly on Canal Street. I made the mistake pointing at a one because it was a copy of the Fendi bag my sister has. We were immediately accosted by the man selling them offering to sell it to me for 60 Euro. No, too much? How much you pay, how much? "Nothing, I don't want it"40 Euro---No? How much you pay? "Nothing, Zero Euro, I don't want it" 20 Euro! It's the black market, c'mon!! I felt bad for the guy, he would not give up.
There's this one fake bag vendor that sees me every day and tells me he'll give it to me for free. Why? "You're a nice lady"
There's this one fake bag vendor that sees me every day and tells me he'll give it to me for free. Why? "You're a nice lady"
the "creepy dollstore!"-- Jill was not a fan
Tomorrow after class Glenn and I leave for Spain! Three of the girls from the house happen to be on our flights to and from Barcelona so that should be fun too. Glenn was so kind as to write me out our itinerary for the weekened:
Venice to Barcelona on Thursday. Pamplona on Friday morning. Leaving Pamplona Saturday evening for Barcelona. Leaving Barcelona Sunday for Venice! Lots of traveling but totally worth is because Glenn and I are going to RUN WITH THE BULLS! Wish us luck!!Lots of pictures and blogging after the weekend!!
Wish you all were here!
No comments:
Post a Comment