Serendipity in Venice

by Vanessa Murrieta Acevedo (Mexico)

I didn't expect to find Italy

It was July, the festival of the Redeemer was all over Venice and the summer sun was at its maximum splendor. My parents and I left the hotel determined to get to know this enigmatic city, taking the freedom to go without an planned route, allowing the destiny to take us to unexpected places. Our adventure began when we let ourselves drive through the canals that passed around our hotel. The canals are noted for the sound of the waves crashing against the Venetian walls and the smell of the sea evoking it in the middle of the city. Amazed by the alleys and the narrow bridges, we had arrived in the blink of an eye to the Piazza San Marcos. The sea breeze was the warm welcome that the Piazza gave us, the Saint Mark's Basilica covered by golden sparkles reflected by the summer sun and the Campanille touching the blue sky. Involved in a romantic atmosphere, prestigious restaurants around the esplanade and musicians playing classical pieces, create a harmony with the view of the bluish sea. As we stared out at the open sea, the sensation of floating invaded our thoughts. Around the seashore, the gondolas were scattered with excited tourists to start their journey, while the gondoliers sang to pass the time. Impressed by the hustle and bustle of the people, we set out on the road to another place where the festival of the redeemer was not present. Following the seashore, we found the bridge of sighs, looking nostalgically that an intense beam of light passed through the bridge and illuminated the canal enclosed between the walls of an old prison. When we got off the bridge, we found a maze of alleys that were reduced as the road passed. We followed our instincts and, we entered a place where the majesty of the colors shone between ostentatious crystals. Murano's art glowed all over the place and each figure was representing the lives of people who had created it, entering a universe with microcosms full of life. When we left the place, a cellist who was surrounded by the crowd caught our attention, he was playing the four seasons of Vivaldi, dominating our senses to the rhythm of the cello. At the end of his interpretation, the noise of applause was heard all around us and the young man's face lit up. After other melodies, we continued our journey and entered to a section of restaurants in front of the Rialto Bridge. We entrered to Al buso, a small but cozy restaurant. The restaurant was full of mirrors that showed the faces of anxious commensals waiting for their food or people drinking a glass of wine. While tourists waited for a table on the terrace to admire the beauty of the Rialto Bridge, locals preferred the comfort of the silence inside the place, while reading or gabbing with their friends. We decided to captivate ourselves with the essence of the Venetians and we ate inside the restaurant. As we satisfy our hunger with a delicious pasta, we headed to the Rialto Bridge to admire the sunset between the Venetian coast. Fascinated by the transition from day to night in that beautiful city, the river of people took us to the T Fondaco Dei Tedeschi, one of the most recognized shops in Venice, where luxury brands seduce you to enter The height of the building was incredible and the arches on the different levels alluded to the warm Venetian style. We toured the store and realized the secret that hid the location, they treasured a hidden viewpoint. The view was phenomenal, we could see the reflection of the moon in the canals and the lights that traveled in every possible alley. We could hear the joy and the music around us, mainly in Piazza San Marcos, that most of the people were on the esplanade, in gondolas, or the Venetians enjoyed the atmosphere in their own boats, while they waited for the sparkles of colors in the middle of the night. And then it happened, the fireworks illuminated the sky, commemorating the festival of the Redeemer, and thanking the destiny for that magical day.