"In a thundering herd, we feel a lot like cattle." I believe Yao said it best in the Disney classic, Mulan. Today could be summarized with one word--transportation. We were, either, being shipped by bus, or we were walking all over Venice, Italy. We started this morning very early, at about 7 a.m. We were told, in advance, that the trip to Venice might take five hours, or it might take eight hours. It all depended upon the weather, traffic, etc. in the mountains. If you are knowledgeable in your geography at all, then you know that the Alps stand between Vienna, Austria and Venice, Italy. Well, long story short, the bus ride took the full eight hours, give or take with occasional stops and breaks. A bus ride may sound like a dull way to spend the day, but what I saw on that one bus ride may have to have been some of the most amazing things I have seen yet on this trip. It started out like any other ride. Trees, lush grass, bushes, shrubbery, etc. However, what started out as a simple, scenic tour turned into an eloquent, vast expanse of touristy pleasure. Pretty soon, we were up in the mountains, with layer after layer of mountains overlapping each other in the background. Suddenly, Bob Ross's vision was no longer just a vision. It had become a reality, and I was staring it in the face. Off in the distance, one could see the clouds rolling up, over, and around the mountains. Occasionally, it looked like the clouds were smoke emerging from the top of a mountain. More than once, I had to do a double take and examine it. "Was that a volcano?" Of course not, but the sight was quite convincing. Going through tunnel after tunnel was fun too as reality came crashing down upon me. I was in the center of a mountain. Naturally, I would start to wonder what would happen if it caved in and such, but by the time I could conceive a viable outcome, we had emerged and proceeded on our way. Of course, there was snow at the top of the mountains, and, on one, I even saw some people skying. Anyway, after eight hours on the road, we arrived in the mainland of Venice, Italy. From there, we had to hop on a train and ride for five minutes over the water to get to Venice. Venice is connected to the mainland by one street and a railway. We were unable to get there by bus. O, that reminds me. Our fist experience in the mainland wasn't a pleasant one. Our bus pulled over where, he thought, we could park. However, a security guard came over and gave us a piece of his mind. Most of us, unable to understand him, just laughed. But, from those who could understand, I could see the annoyance and frustration. Clearly, we were in the wrong place, but he didn't have to be such an ass about it. So, with that being our first experience, we weren't, yet, too impressed. However, when we crossed the water and arrived in Venice, that perspective changed. Granted, Venice is nothing like Hollywood and the media would have us believe. The sun wasn't out, so perhaps the water does sparkle, but it didn't today. But, there are a ton of bridges running over rivers, as if they were streets. Gondola rides must be a high priority around here, but I heard that it costs 80 Euros per hour, so that is like 95 U.S. dollars per hour, give or take. That is crazy! We walked through the old Jewish ghetto, and we even saw some Jews with the cap and everything. The ghetto area is less populated and less crowed than the rest of the city. The city, itself, holds close to two million people, or so I have heard. No matter where you go, you are always having to weave in and out of traffic. Another thing is that Venice is well known for its pickpockets. Apparently, they make the one's in Prague look like amateurs. Naturally, I had my hand close to my pocket all day, and I was always twisting and turning, making it difficult to get a fix on me in brief passing. I am only here one more day, so I shouldn't have too much to worry about. Our walk, today, consisted of touring the streets, observing the shops and the like. We saw a royal palace, the old prison, a church, and government buildings. What was funny about today was that our guide, Yan, tricked us. Instead of taking us the short, direct way, he took us the long way around. We were all pretty tired and hungry by the time we got to our place of destination. So, he gave us the shortcut back, but we were all pretty exhausted. I am going to have to think of a way to get back at him, but I am sure everyone is contemplating their counterattack. Anyway, today is over for me, but we awake bright and early tomorrow for more fun. I have a few pictures, but I was unable to take as many as I wanted. My battery died, and I am running out of spares. Yes, I still run on double-A batteries. Anyway, enjoy and enjoy the rest of your day. "May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favor!"
                                                                                              -Anthony-