September 10th - Venezia, Italy

September 10, 2006
Venezia, Italy

Bon Journo!

This morning B woke me up when he got back from his run. Upon getting out of bed I went to the window, opened our shutters, and shouted “Bon Journo!” to the throng of tourists and vendors below.

After showering, we headed to a local bakery for some food. We all got Fococcia Fromagia Brie and a fruit cup. It was probably the best thing I have eaten on the trip thus far. As we made our way to the waterbus, B purchased an Italian Soccer Jersey (Totti) and tried to talk me into doing the same (I have to make sure I have enough money).

We then headed for the island of Lodi, where they have several beaches. It was a long ride and took about 40 minutes. Upon getting to the island we were almost run over by a taxi. We had all forgotten that cars exist and that one needs to look both ways before crossing the street. After orientation ourselves we headed for the beach.

On our way to the beach we stopped at one of the many local eateries to get a gelato (the best ice-cream around). Eventually we made it to the beach (don’t worry mom, I put sunscreen on). There were almost no waves but the Mediterranean water was warm. After swimming for a while I felt a sudden sting on my right arm and decided to get out of the water. I’m not sure what it was but it felt like a jellyfish (As I write this, I still have a little mark but all the pain is now gone).

As we relaxed on the beach we noticed that two Italian men had started playing beach soccer. We asked if we could join in. Not much later a Brazilian (from Sao Paulo) also joined our group. Peter, B, and I played 3v3 against a very superior team. Still, we managed to score one goal (they had many, many more). Our moment of glory went something like this: B cleared the ball and I outran everyone for a breakaway goal!

After playing for almost an hour the Brazilian sliced his foot on a shell and had to sit out. Peter’s knee was also hurting so it then became 2v2. We continued to play the beautiful game into the afternoon. By the time we were done we were all very hot and exhausted. It was time to leave the beach and get some food.

On our way back to the waterbus we stopped at a kebob place. It seems that kebob stands are prevalent all over Europe and are the cheapest way to fill your stomach (plus they are very tasty!). I also had one of the best nectarines of all time before retiring to our room.

We are all still tired and sore and plan to take it easy for the rest of the evening.

PS - I just got a Toni jersey