Venice: The City of Masks

Dear Readers,

Ever want to partake in a masquerade ball? I always have, but I've never had the chance to so naturally I was ecstatic when my friends and I booked a trip to the Venice Carnival. 

Most love Venice for it's charm, it's bridges, it's vacation allure.
Did I love Venice? Nope. Did I have fun in Venice? Absolutely. 

I'm sure Venice is amazing during the summer when it's lovely out and there aren't as many crowds. Don't get me wrong, Venice is gorgeous and it's an amazing place for tourists to visit. However, that's what it seems to be to me: touristy. 

Reflecting on Venice, I definitely had wonderful moments and some things I didn't like (as with every trip). I feel that the city is mostly catered towards tourists. I know, I know. I visited during one of the most crowded festivals. It took me an hour to get to the piazza when I was staying four blocks away. There was a performance going on and I asked a security guard the best way around the hundreds of thousands (literally) of people... her response? "It is impossible. You need to wait." Wonderful. I ducked into the nearest cafe to sip on a 10 euro cup of tea. 

There were dozens of souvenir stands, the kind that sell the exact same magnets and "Venice" bags and t-shirts, within yards from each-other. Every single store carried Murano glass. Few restaurants actually served "real" Italian food.

But even though it was raining, the city was still gorgeous:

My favorite pink lights near the waterway

So what was the gem in the midst of all of this? 

Meeting a painter near the waterway on a rainy day and being enchanted by his story.

I was walking with Gabby to catch a ferry to the island of glass, when I stopped to admire a gorgeous oil painting of Venice at an artists' stand. I started talking to the artist, and I asked him if he had a Facebook so that I could stay up to date with his recent works. I had no intention of purchasing a painting because i'm a penniless college student. He responded by telling me that to live in Venice, one must have two jobs. His jobs are his passions- painting, selling his paintings, and teaching others how to paint. 

He asked me how an artist who truly loves painting could find the time to manage social media. 

This was his explanation, in summary: "I only have time to paint, and to sell my paintings. My paintings are originals. You can not buy them online, you can not find them on Facebook. I have time only to paint, how does any artist who truly loves what he or she does find the time to create art and to also get on a website and answer questions and deal with media promotion? If you come to Venice, absolutely visit my studio! Otherwise, don't purchase my work." 

You could tell this guy really loved what he did, and his work showed it. Not the typical response you would get. He knew I couldn't afford to spend hundreds of dollars on a painting, so he lowered his price when I asked and held the painting all day while I went off with my friends to find an ATM. 

Other things I did enjoy about Venice?

1. Wandering around the waterways with friends.

2. Sitting on a dock on the island in the sun to eat gelato.

3. Taking pictures of the amazing costumes!! (See below)

Reminds you of Phantom of The Opera doesn't he?

My personal favorite of all the costumes spotted.

4. Picking out my very own mask! 

5. Laying around in an apartment full of 10 girls and hearing crazy stories about falling off of one of the gondolas (Devon).

Overall, would I visit Venice again? Yes. When it's not during the carnival, when it's not raining, and when I can stay for longer. 

Is the carnival worth seeing? Yes, at least once in your lifetime. 

Is Venice on my list of places to go in the future? It's not at the top, because I want to tour the south of Italy first, but it's on there. 

Advice to those going to Venice? Stay away from the cafes closest to the piazza. They're the most overpriced. Buy Murano's glass on the island- it's less expensive there. Fall in love with the art. Avoid the souvenir stands. If you're heading anywhere during the carnival, leave at least an hour before an event to avoid the crowds.

With love,

Morgan