Venice: Karneval

    Yesterday started with an alarm going off at 03:30, a short bike ride to the Mensa (with Ruth on the back rack for the first part), and a 6+ hour bus ride across the Steiermark, through the Alps, and into Italy. We piled off the buses and took off on foot into Venice. What a city! Packed with thousands of tourists, but spectacular nevertheless. I met up with Kate and Launie, housemates from the Rock who are studying in Firenze/Florence, at the Ponte Rialto, and we wandered into the Piazza San Marco. Venice was alive with colourful, intricate masks and costumes wherever you turned. We got lost in the northern part of the island, and had my 'birthday' linner at a little cafe. The rest of the crew ordered Pizza or Calzone, but I decided to go for the daily Menu (special) in the Italian style, which started with Penne in a zesty tomato sauce, then Polenta, and finally a salad.

When the Firenze crew had to leave to catch the train, I met back up with Ainhoa, Tomás, and Alex. We wandered slowly back towards the bus- stopping to look at costumes and masks and for Gelato, Macchiato, and Glüwein. It was a very quiet bus ride back to Graz!

    It was a day to see Karneval, not Venice itself. I need to go back and see the Guggenheim collection, the frescoes, climb the tower, ride the boats...

Off to catch a city tour of Graz, check out the photo gallery for more pictures!