Venezia 2

Ah, Venezia. City of canals, city of chimneys, city of…American college students? City of old people? City of decaying buildings, city of boats, city of seven euro panini!

Venice clearly left a bad taste in my mouth. Around carnival it truly is the Disneyland of Italy, complete with costumed characters and whiny thrill seekers (see my traghetto story, haha). Described by Lord Byron as the place where “dying Glory smiles,” Venice is crumbling under the collective weight of mass tourism, rampant neglect, and dwindling foreign investments. So many properties are owned by wealthy Europeans or Americans, who currently lack the capital to fix up or even maintain the plaster facades on their ancient real estate investments.

But, enough of that. Sure, it was smelly. Sure, it was rainy, and crowded, and expensive.

But it was Venice, nonetheless. And after some hot wine, and a couple bellinis, we started to enjoy ourselves.

But damn, even kebab is pricier in Venice! So Venice, good-bye. Good-bye, for a long, long time.