Well, the second and final day of touring Venice has come to a close, for me. Tomorrow, I set out for my Spring Break plans. Meaning, I set out for Zurich Switzerland in the morning. It sucks that my train leaves at 5:40 in the morning, but as long as I get there, I am OK with whatever. Sorry with my post from yesterday; my internet connection, at my hostel, is a little goofy, so sometimes it sends things, and sometimes it fails to do anything. It is quite frustrating on my end, so don't worry, you are not the only ones frustrated. I will try to post some pictures on this post, but don't hold your breath on that. For anyone wanting a scenic, new experience for a vacation, I highly recommend Venice, but for those, like me, who have little to no sense of direction, it is a nightmare. Venice is nothing but a tourist trap riddled with twists and turns meant to boggle the mind and confuse the soul. Hell, even our tour-guide got lost yesterday a few times, but, thankfully, we managed to find our way. Despite all of that, the city, itself, is very beautiful. Water flows through the city, the gondolas riding the crescent waves. Our paths each day seem to all be different from the last, yet each street highly resembles each other in terms of physical appearance. Every street is densely populated with hundreds of shops lining the sides. If you do decide to travel to Venice, I sure hope you do not have a phobia of birds. Goodness, the birds here are frightening. First, and foremost, there are hundreds, if not thousands flying above and around your head. Pigeons and Seagulls are the most popular, and they are even more popular with the people. They will walk on the streets, as if they thought they were human. If you make a move for them, they just run a bit faster; they do not fly away. They show no fear, and that is what frightens me. It is like that Hitchcock movie with the killer birds. I tell you, it is only a matter of time. They, already, swoop for your head. Everyone thinks I am crazy for ducking, but it will be funny when they lose an eye, and I am safe, sprawled on the ground. I guess I shouldn't wish that fate upon anyone, but I am trying to warn you now. Today, we toured the Duke of Venice's palace and the dungeon that is connected to it. In most of the places we saw, cameras were prohibited, but, you know me, I snuck a few in, all sneaky-like. We saw the great halls, more frescoes/paintings, and the armory. I tell you, the people, back then, sure knew how to make some ginormous swords. Suddenly, those video games with the two-handed swords actually make sense. It isn't fantasy; it is fact. The dungeon was the coolest, as I imagined the cells filled with people as I strolled through the grounds. I was deep underground, surrounded by solid granite and stone. I, even, found myself putting my hands in front of me, as if I were held in chains. I imagined the feeling of being led down those stairs to that hell, knowing that you might never breath free air again. I looked in each cell, and I could almost feel the resentment, the remorse, the guilt, and the depression, still emanating from those rooms, hundreds of years later. It was quite the trip maneuvering around the corners to finally reach freedom. After what I conceived, in my head, I needed my own fresh air. Once we cleared the dungeon, we split off to eat. I finally tried some legitimate Italian pasta. The place was called Alfredos. I imagined that Italy would just have this outstanding pasta that put America's version to shame. However, I found that it wasn't much better than what I can find in America, or what I can make on my own. It was OK, but it was nothing like I imagined it would be. I ordered the Pesto; it consisted of spiral noodles, basil, pinuts (don't ask me what these are), garlic, cheese, and white sauce. It was average, but it was too strong for my taste. After dinner, we went back to the cathedral in St. Marc's square, and we toured that for five minutes. It was all we could do because anything else would have been extra. I did make a donation for a psalm branch, so I guess I got something out of it. Plus, I finally donated to a church, so dad can finally get off my back about that. I am, now, back in my room updating my blog and doing some studying. I do want to go back out for some pizza. I had my pasta, now I need legitimate, Italian pizza. I think there is a place nearby our hotel, but I don't know for sure. So, anyway, tomorrow, I will write/type from Switzerland, so pray for my safe travels. Happy April weather! "May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favor!"
                                                                            -Anthony-