Venice Realized

 “Amazing.”

For the past week, ever since I got back to the United States, people have been asking me how my spring break trip to Venice was…and all I can say is “amazing.” In my first post, I detailed what I imagined Venice to be like and concluded that I did not fully know what to expect. I figured that the city would be so much better than anything I could possibly think of, and I was certainly right. I expected to see canalside cafes, gondolas, and Italians milling about. I expected to see beautiful scenes, much like those that have become famous on Pinterest. My expectations were certainly fulfilled. I saw Italians walking slowly while tourists rushed around them. I saw my fair share of beautiful scenes, and I took pictures of many of them. Though my pictures aren’t as vivid and bright as those on Pinterest (since I do not edit them), they are beautiful in their own regard. Seeing all of these different things in person was so much better than any picture I could have seen, though, because I got to have the full experience. Not only did I see all these things, but I ate in a couple of cafes with outdoor tables that looked out onto busy squares (campi) or canals. I rode in a gondola, which was a wonderful experience that allowed me to see Venice from a new and different point of view.

A typical Pinterest photo of Burano - what I expected to see

In The Art of Travel, Alain de Botton discusses all aspects of travel, from the anticipation to the return home. During his trip to Barbados, he found that his high expectations caused him to be disappointed once he arrived. He suggests that once we are actually seeing a place (previously pictured mentally) in person, the experience is quite different because we bring our worries, stresses, and thoughts along with us. I tried not to have too many expectations before I left for Venice because I did not want to be disappointed like de Botton seemed to be. I tried not to look at too many pictures or read too many descriptions about the city, though so many people have been to Venice (and enthusiastically detailed their trips) that this was practically impossible. This strategy actually worked pretty well for me! Yes, I brought along some of my worries and stresses from home, but I found that being in such a lively and beautiful city eased my mind. I was able to become involved in the city, to feel like I was a part of it, and that made the experience so much better than I could have expected. I was not disappointed at all; in fact, I felt that seeing Pinterest-immortalized scenes in person was much better than seeing them online. Pictures, I found, do not do Venice justice. Being there and experiencing life in the city was amazing; no picture can even come close to that.

One of my pictures of Burano - Pinterest worthy!

Upon his return, De Botton found that nothing at home had changed. Even though he himself had experienced a multitude of new things, the city “was unimpressed. It was still raining. The park was still a pond; the skies were still funereal.” I had a similar experience once I returned to Indiana. I had seen gorgeous art and architecture, traveled on many vaporetti, eaten pizza, pasta, seafood, and gelato, and learned a bit of Italian; I felt like a completely different person. West Lafayette, on the other hand, felt like it hadn’t changed at all. There were the same gray skies and cold temperatures, and my apartment was exactly as I had left it. It seemed like I had dreamed my entire week in Venice.

As the last few days have passed and I have finally conquered my jet lag, I have been able to reminisce on my week in Venice. I was able to fully immerse myself in the Venetian culture, especially during my free time that week. I ate Venetian foods and tried to act as much like a local as I could. I learned how to navigate a city when I do not speak the local language, though I also learned a few phrases in Italian. I developed an appreciation, like I have never had before, for art and architecture. I walked until I thought my feet would break—and then I walked some more. I experienced an absolutely amazing city, and I will always treasure my memories and pictures from this trip. Though my “home” did not seem to change, I feel that I have changed and am a different, more experienced person after my trip. I truly had the time of my life in Venice, and I would not trade my week there for anything.

A Newfound Appreciation for Art and Architecture (Extra Blog Post #3)

Before I went to Venice, I had never considered art to be my “thing”. My mind is very scientific, and my thoughts tend to be cut-and-dry. I considered art to be part of a gray area, something beautiful but largely over-analyzed, while I preferred to think primarily in black and white. So, when I heard that the study abroad program in Venice would be studying a lot of art and architecture, I was a little bit worried. But, I figured, I would finally be able to travel to Italy, so it would all be worth it in the end (no matter how painful it would be to look at all of these things).

Everything changed when I got to Venice, though. The city itself was so beautiful that the (sometime ornate) architecture seemed perfectly in place; elsewhere, it might not fit in so well. I found myself absolutely consumed by the beautiful buildings, some of which completely dominated my small stature. As we visited churches, I could understand the differences between Medieval and Renaissance architecture. I could finally comprehend the paradigm shift that my professor had been telling us about: medieval churches were dominating and huge, and they emphasized the distinction between God and humans. Renaissance churches, on the other hand, were all about beauty. At this point, what people saw meant much more than the size of the church. People of the Renaissance must have appreciated the churches of their time much more than the Medieval churches; this is likely why architects began to become famous and have their own certain “styles” at this time.

A huge Medieval church - standing by this made me feel tiny!

In Venice, I also found myself more interested and appreciative of art than ever before. I had always avoided art museums and exhibits; in fact, when I went to Paris I didn’t even go to the Louvre! I did not see the point in looking at art and analyzing it—I thought that what the observer sees was what the artist meant. There was no special meaning behind it. Again, this mindset changed when I was in Venice. I found myself taken with the artists’ portrayals of various Bible themes and stories. I even appreciated (and could distinguish) the different styles of artists like Tintoretto, Giotto, and Titian! One of my favorite activities during our trip was a walking tour of various Tintoretto portrayals of the Last Supper. We only saw three of the seven Last Suppers during this tour, but I still loved it! I was especially taken with the first painting we saw, which was in the church of San Stefano. 

My favorite of Tintoretto's Last Supper paintings - from wikipedia.org

This painting is full of motion, and the viewer can see that the disciples and various other attendees were in the middle of moving. Everyone at the table seems to be focused on Jesus (or in his general direction), which is not always the case in portrayals of the Last Supper. One woman, toward the bottom left of the painting, looks especially hurried; this specifically struck me for some reason. Tintoretto’s painting was so lifelike that it seemed almost like a picture, and it still comes to my mind easily a week after I first saw it.

Though I did develop a new appreciation for art and architecture during my trip to Venice, I am not sure I will continue to pursue it in the future. This is not because of anything that happened; rather, I believe that I will never be able to have an experience quite like my Venetian art experience ever again! In Venice, there are so many beautiful works of art and architecture in such a small area. This is extremely unique, and I do not know of any other city that has so much. Nonetheless, I will look back fondly upon my time in Venice, especially the parts spent studying art and architecture. My future art and architecture studies will just have to wait until I return!

All the Time in the World: A Thick Description

In one of my last blog posts, I remarked upon how the Venetians always seem to take their time. I find it quite interesting that, in a well-populated and fairly modern city, people can be so easygoing about getting to places at certain times. For a while I thought my misconception was due to being American; after all, we rush around everywhere, taking cars and driving far over the speed limit because we have to get where we are going quickly! After some reflection on my past travels, though, I realized that the Venetians’ attitude about time is far different than that of residents of any city I have ever traveled to. In London, people moved about quickly. If someone stood too long on the escalator and blocked the way, they were promptly scolded. In Paris, people walked quickly to get to their final destinations. Even in Bucharest, people seemed to move about quickly.

In Venice, though, the residents meander about at their own paces. Only the tourists rush while walking – which is one way to immediately pick out the tourists in this city. The Venetians walk slower, taking their time to get to where they are going. When traveling on a vaporetto, the Venetians may stand by the exit but definitely do not rush to get off the boat; the tourists, meanwhile, push each other to get off in time and rush away from the boat. I have only seen a Venetian run once, and that was to catch a vaporetto that was about to leave.

The vaporetto itself is a prime example of the unhurried Venetian attitude toward travel. The vaporetti only come to a stop at certain predetermined times, and they do not travel quickly between stops.

 

An example of a vaporetto timetable - from http://www.univiu.org/line-20-boat-timetable

On our first day in Venice, we were stuck on a vaporetto traveling around the entire island for an hour at a very slow, rocking speed. It put most of my jet-lagged classmates to sleep. Additionally, once we got off this first water bus we had to wait for another to take us to the island where we are staying. This took half an hour because, of course, the vaporetti run on a schedule. The boat arrived at our stop a good ten minutes before departure time, but we were not allowed to get on while the drivers took a break (for those ten minutes). Our professor told us, and I have noticed, that this frequently happens. The drivers may get to their destination ahead of time, but they will relax for a while and take a long break until they absolutely need to leave. They are completely unaffected by anyone else’s potential need to get somewhere quickly.

The front/"tourist" side of the clock tower

I thought my observations regarding travel time were strictly limited to the vaporetti, but in fact they are true for all methods of Venetian travel. When we toured the clock tower, our guide informed us that the back side of the clock only tells the hour because “that is all Venetians need to know – if we are within the hour, we are on time”. She added that the proper clock on the front side, facing Piazza San Marco, is just there for visitors to the city. Tourists and visiting officials are the only people that need to know exactly what time it is – but even then, the time is not exact! The digital clock facing Piazza San Marco is only accurate to the latest 5-minute increment. Even the most time-conscious Venetians are not certain of the exact time; even they do not rush to be exactly on time.

The back/"Venetian" side of the clock tower

The vaporetto drivers went on strike for a day during our time in Venice; this made the distinction between Venetians and tourists less pronounced than usual. The Venetians did have to walk a little faster to get anywhere, and they could not depend on water related travel. Our guide for the tour that morning lived on a far side of Venice, and we were told that he had to really rush to get across the island on time. This was not particularly surprising, since on a usual day he could take his time while traveling. The strike changed the city; travel suddenly became somewhat hectic and hurried. The next day, though, everything was back to normal. Venetians remained relaxed while traveling, and tourists rushed about.

The difference between the American race to get places and the unhurried manner of the Venetians represents a much bigger difference between the two cultures. Americans are always aiming for something larger, continuing to drive until we get what we want. Venetians, on the other hand, are more likely to take a break and enjoy the ride. While an American is constantly working toward a particular goal, a Venetian would point out that life is about the journey rather than the destination.  We Americans can learn something from this point of view; we should learn to relax a little and take our time. If we enjoy the journey, we can cherish the destination even more.

A Wonderful Final Day in Venice

The last day of any trip is always the saddest, though it’s often the day that the best activities take place. Today certainly followed that trend; in fact, today was far better than any other “last day” I’ve had in the past.

First of all, we had a free morning today. It was wonderful to sleep in, relax, and have a nice breakfast in the café before leaving for the day. After breakfast, my roommates and I went to the island to do the final souvenir shopping and experience some things we had missed. We took a traghetto (a gondola ferry with two drivers) across the Grand Canal, which was quite the experience! Interestingly, tourists pay almost triple the price of Venetians (2 euros vs. 0.70) to take this 2-minute long ferry across the Grand Canal. It is definitely worth the 2 euros, though, since a traghetto ride gives the same general experience of a gondola ride for a tiny fraction of the price. Usually, Venetians stand up on the traghetti as it makes its short trek across the canal. Tourists, who don’t quite have their sea legs, sit on the ferry. We decided to stand like true Venetians. This terrified my roommates, who were on the outside and came close to falling off the boat due to the waves in the canal. I, on the other hand, was in the middle and felt perfectly safe the entire time. It was a short ride, but it was enough for us.

Coins (from both tourists and locals) on the traghetto

We rode the traghetto to get to the Rialto fish market, which was very interesting to see. We had been hearing about the market all week, but because of having class in the mornings we were unable to see it in action. We had passed by the market area one evening earlier this week, but the area was empty (though it still smelled strongly of fish). This morning, though, we saw the fish market in full force. We walked past stall after stall of fresh seafood, some of which was still moving! We saw fresh crab, shrimp, squid, and a wide variety of fish. We had been told earlier that we were eating fresh fish for dinner tonight, so we tried to guess which of the little animals we would be eating later as we strolled from stall to stall.

A small fraction of the wide selection available at the Rialto fish market

After our lovely free morning, we had a short lecture followed by a trip to the Guggenheim Museum of Modern Art. This was an interesting trip, as modern art is very far out of my (and likely all the other engineers’/scientists’) comfort zone. However, I enjoyed having the guide explain the different modern art movements and the meanings behind the artworks. It was a very interesting change of pace.

After the museum trip, we had a wonderful Venetian surprise. The professors had arranged for my classmates and I to take a gondola ride! I spent the entire week convincing myself that a gondola trip wasn’t worth the price…and then we all ended up going on a gondola ride together! It was wonderful to see the same sights that I had seen all week from a different vantage point. I got to see sides and parts of buildings that I had never seen before, and I loved it! We all enjoyed seeing these sights and experiencing Venice in a new and different way. Though gondola rides are a very touristy thing to do, they are still very fun. I think we all enjoyed it more because we had already seen most of Venice in a different way; this ride just tied it all together.

The view from my seat in the gondola...I didn't think I would end up doing this!

After our fantastic surprise, we were treated to a seafood feast followed by delicious gelato. Even after seeing all the available seafood at the fish market, I could not have guessed all of the different things we ate; we may have had every type of seafood that was for sale!

Check out the variety of seafood on this plate!

The dinner was delicious, but the company was also fantastic. I thoroughly enjoyed not only this final day but also the entire trip. I am sad that I have to leave this wonderful city tomorrow to head back to America (and school). It has been an amazing week, and I would not trade it for anything!

Crazy Graduation Festivities in Padova (Extra Blog Post #2)

Today, we traveled to Padova (also known as Padua).  Padova is the site of one of the oldest universities in Italy, and it has the world’s second-oldest anatomical theater on the university grounds. Sadly, we were unable to tour the anatomical theater due to time constraints and a small number of tours per day, but we were able to see and experience other aspects of the university.

We were able to see some of the academic buildings, though many side hallways and things were blocked off due to graduation ceremonies. One building had an open square area on the inside, and students painted or carved their coats of arms on the internal walls upon their graduation from the University of Padova. Some of these coats of arms were particularly ornate; some students really went above and beyond with their decorations. Decorating these walls was apparently a rite of passage but also a way to express individuality.

If you look between the columns on the bottom level, you can see some coats of arms painted on the walls.

Our guide did not tell us whether students still paint their coats of arms on the walls; however, we were told about a current tradition for graduates in the Venice area. Because graduation ceremonies take place year-round (as the students decide to graduate), we were able to experience some of the celebrations today at the University of Padova.

Graduates in the Veneto region have to undergo what basically amounts to hazing right before their graduation ceremony. They are forced to put on a crazy, and often somewhat offensive, outfit and parade around the university and city. Their family and friends serenade them with “Dottore, Dottore,” a pretty profane tune, over and over. In the few hours we were in Padova, I heard that song so many times I lost count; the tune is now stuck in my head! The graduate’s friends create a poster that details the graduate’s life until that point, including all of the embarrassing things that no one ever wants to admit. After parading around the university and hearing “Dottore, Dottore” a few times, the graduate is allowed to slow down – but only so that they can be hassled some more.

A prime example of a graduate's celebration  - photo credit to my roommate, Amanda.

The graduate and entourage stop at the outside of a main university building, and the poster is taped up for the world to see. The graduate is then forced to read the entire poster out loud in front of family, friends, and any passersby. If they make any mistakes, they have to drink immediately. In some of the cases I saw, a bottle of alcohol was taped to the graduate’s hands for easy access, a la How I Met Your Mother’s “Edward Fortyhands” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSX3C2KD9lU). Whether there is easy access or not, excessive drinking is involved. The graduate’s family and friends also pelt him/her with a variety of groceries; I saw flour, eggs, and tomato sauce used in one particular person’s celebration. Once the festivities are over and the graduate is covered in a variety of food and debris, they are finally allowed to clean up and go out for a nice dinner or lunch. Later on, they go through the university’s actual graduation ceremony, which cannot possibly be as embarrassing or traumatic as the cultural celebration.

After experiencing this fun and hilarious cultural phenomenon, I have to say that I am happy we don’t have anything like it in the United States. I much prefer the restrained, meaningful graduation ceremonies without loud, crazy pre-ceremony rituals. Sure, the Venetian celebrations look fun, but I would rather not deal with the public embarrassment and hazing. It would be highly entertaining to see other people go through it, but as for me…I would like to just keep everything quiet and clean. I am looking forward to my graduation in a couple of months, and I am happy to not have to deal with a hilarious pre-ceremony celebration. The ceremony itself will be celebration enough for me!