Venice = Disneyland

So Venice during the day feels like Disneyland. It's expensive, there's too many bloody tourists (mostly Italian and German, but lots of Americans as well). Granted, there is more water, and drinking is allowed in every restaurant, not just the most expensive one's, but it definitely feels overly touristy. Like anything that resembles the way Venice might have been once upon a time has been slapped on a t'shirt, or keychain, or disturbing pair of boxer shorts and put up for sale. I loved the city on the first day or two, and have since come to be excitedly waiting to flee. It's also really frustrating to not be able to get anywhere going anywhere near in a straight line...fun at first, but not so much when you're actually trying to get someplace. Anyhow.

B got in just fine. They ended up cancelling his original flight out of seattle, so instead of just 3 flights, it took 4 to get him to Venice...and amazingly, his luggage showed up as well. It's been really nice to have him along. I think 4 weeks all by myself would've been a little much. I would've gotten homesick really really fast.

The class went really well. Made 2 mosaics that turned out pretty darn good, if i do say so myself. And i got to go to a factory in venice that makes the glass materials, which was quite interesting. Their storeroom has about 3000 shades of glass, yes, that's 3 followed by 3 zeros. Their flesh colored shelves are amazing alone. And I walked away only buying 4 kilos of glass (1kilo of gold), unlike my friend who bought about 30 kilos of glass. She brought a suitcase with her and just looked cute to get help going up stairs. She's from switzerland, and drove down. I'll be shipping a large heavy box from Florence.

I finally found an internet cafe that i could upload pictures from, but the cord is in the apartment (which is really nice). So hopefully in Florence. We leave tomorrow morning on the 10:30 train.

There's a sold sign on my new house, which is pretty exciting...I'm already planning my basement studio to do mosaics as well as stained glass...the media room might disappear.

Ciao