people speak of rebirth, the idea that one can begin again in this life, perhaps with an altered state of mind, as a holy commitment, or with a sparkling new view of human existence- the whys and hows. i came to venice to see the canals and soak up it’s history. little did i realize whilst bouncing about on the waves, clutching my belongings on the vaporetto, that the endearing charm and old world magic of venice was going to swallow me up whole and discard almost every bit of me back to my normal life. every bit of me, except perhaps a part of my heart, which aches from that labrynth city, calling me back every day since my departure..
from venezia.

my first, and only time here, was in august of 2012. so that this blog is as easy to understand as possible, i will do my absolute best to accurately represent the very title of my little work in progress, “the lady’s guide to adventure.” here is my brief but well thought-out guide to..

losing yourself in venice, italy:

• just go.
  i spent five crazy weeks bopping about europe last summer and to be honest, albeit a lovely option,
  venice was almost overlooked due to the rushed timeframe of my trip.
  [three italian cities – positano, rome, venice – only nine days, including travel time]
  but i made it happen and i’m so glad that i did.
• the logistics.
  are you vintage or modern?
  be sure to keep a notebook and pen (vintage) or a smart phone (modern) on hand at all times with important information such as: instructions to find your hostel or rental, a few phrases in italian, and a map of venice. you may also want to know the routes and schedules of the main form of transportation here, the vaporetto [vaporetti if plural] or “waterbus”, especially if you decide to visit the lovely islands of murano [murano glass] or burano. to be as helpful and specific as possible, i will include the exact instructions sent to me via email from the hostel where i booked a private, ensuite room. (remember, you have the option at many hostels to book private rooms and it’s still usually cheaper than a hotel!)

destination: locanda ss. giovanni e paolo
coming from: venice train station, venice s.l. santa lucia

1. waterbus n. 5.2
2. get off at stop ospedale
3. (the cost of the waterbus is about 7,00 eur one way but you may want to spend more to get a twelve hour ticket, especially if you are arriving and have the whole day to explore!)
   prices* are: 12hr 18,00 eur, 24hr 20,00 eur, 36hr 25,00 eur and so on and so forth!
   *this may change but was accurate when i arrived
4. go to your left after stopping at ospedale [hospital]
5. turn right and walk fifty metres until you arrive in a small square
6. turn right again into main street called calle del caffettier
7. eighty metres further, there is a street on your left (calle dell’ospedaletto)
8. the locanda is just a few steps down this street, you have arrived!

for two nights here including a lovely breakfast delivered each morning, the price was €196,00 – very reasonable for venice!

my point? please ask for written directions!
if you do not know italian, this is much easier than simply having an address, as the “roads” are usually no more than four feet wide and surrounded by beautiful but view-obstructing buildings. and keep in mind that you may be able to find your own room in a hostel for much less than we found ours – especially considering my trip was taking place during the 2012 olympics and during summer months, prices always go up! it doesn’t hurt to start your dreaming / planning now though! —>hostels.com

• look with your eyes.
  this may seem silly but you will have a million photo opportunites.
  everything is picturesque and you will want to capture it all but quickly! stop! it is important to breathe in the italian charm.
  smell.
  taste.
  feel the walls of the stone that was laid over a thousand years ago.
  hear the chatter of this language that is so robust and strong and proud,
  and while you are tantalizing your senses with the rush of these new physical and mental stimulants, keep an eye out for a little shop..
  it is called … il papiro … and is located just over the ponte san maurizio bridge (depending on which side you are coming from, i suppose.)
  it is here that i purchased my absolute favorite souvenirs / trinkets / baubles of the entire five-week long trip. more specifically, i walked away with a gorgeous wax seal stamp with my first and middle initals, some pink rose-colored wax just pleading to be dripped and sculpted, and some beautiful, hand-painted paper. this intriguing little store with it’s whimsical window-shopping, boasts handmade leather-bound journals, seals and their wax in every color imaginable, and superb stationary – it was like a dream to be there and i count it as an honor to leave il papiro with many of my hard-earned euros.
• get lost.
  but remember to be safe while you are doing so!
  the streets of venice are more enchanting than the canals. i was never quite informed of how lovely the bones of this city are; it’s people, like the living marrow of the maze, and i dare you to lose yourself. you’ll believe you’ve died and gone to heaven.. or pehaps hogwarts.
• and as for a bit of sound advice before i depart from this post?
  …
  THERE ARE TWO AIRPORTS!
  i do not often use capitalization but please know which one you are flying out of and learn from my stressful mistake,
  go to the right one the first time around!

arrivederci!