Day Trip- Venice for Carnivale!

Ever since I've arrived in Milan I've been besieged on every side by the Milanese's ferverish anticipation of Carnivale- pastries, streamers, masks in windows. I couldn't help but understand that Carnivale was an event not to be missed, so obviously I found myself making plans to head across to Venice. Despite every reasonable plan being thwarted (aka hostels booked out, busses filled, etc), my roommates and I came up with a plan: head to Venice on the earliest train (leaving at 7:30 am, costing a mere 14 euros), explore all day, play all night, and leave on the earliest train back to Milano the next morning (5 am, once again, 14 euros).

Saturday morning we hustled over to the station, bought our tickets, raced past the throngs of American students, found seats on the last car and watched as the remaining seats filled, the space between the cars filled, and all standing room in the aisle ways filled. People were literally leaning against the bathroom doors. Despite the train being filled past any reasonable sense of capacity, the conductors found it somehow necessary to stop and open the doors at the next few stops. The fully costumed Carnivale-goers were not in the slightest bit amused that they weren't going to get a seat on the train they already paid for, and in full Italian style screamed and gestured and made their displeasure clear. All excitement aside, we ended up in fantastically sunny Venice by lunchtime.

We headed into the sea of people (literally, look at the crowds behind our head in the first picture), funneled down alleyways until we could break out of the crowds and find a spot for a quick lunch. Full of the cheapest and most delicious thing on the menu (Margarita Pizza, of course), we braved the crowds and headed back into the maze. As we headed down the alleys, jostled on all side by masked partiers, we ran into a parade. I swear, it is becoming a tradition, running into random serenades in random Italian cities.

After much hapless wandering and gawking, we each found the perfect masks and shortly thereafter found ourselves in the heart of the party in Piazza San Marco.

The Piazza was just as crowded as every bit of Venice we had seen so far. The three of us took a few minute to gawk and get our bearings. The costumes ranged from intricately classical-

to flamboyantly whimsical-

to delightfully clever.

After getting our fill of crazy costumes we decided to break away from main events and do some exploring. We stumbled upon the most charming piazza that embodied everything stereotypically Italian. The buildings were colorful, old and charming, the ground covered in cobblestones, and the vendors selling tables of overflowing, mouthwatering treats.

We indulged a little (or maybe a lot), and ducked into a cafe/bar for an espresso/clean bathroom. By that time it was getting dark and we headed back to San Marco for dancing and general revelry. And incredibly, by complete chance, I met up with some girls from Puget Sound that are studying this semester in Rome!

Eventually we crossed back over all the bridges, ducked into every open (read warm) cafe and coffee shop along the way, and claimed a spot on the train-station floor among the fading revelers. The station was lined with people in various states of sobriety and sleep. As soon as we saw our train, we rushed on and claimed spots as people once again pushed on to fill every spare space.

All things considered we had a wonderful adventure, full of excitement and ended up back home in Milano around 9 am, ready to comb the confetti out of our hair and collapse into bed.

Love and Ciao,

Katie