Italy - Student Style (Part II - Venezia)

So from Florence, we took the train for a couple hours to, dun dun dunnn! Venice! Known locally as Venezia. I will admit, I was most nervous about Venice because it is an island, and there are no actual roads, etc. But we needed to see it before it sunk...:p. We had superb directions to our hostel but that was it for that good luck...we dropped off our bags and went to find St. Mark's Square...easier said than done! We wandered for ages...there were signs everywhere for it but still...some of the 'roads' look just like alleyways so you think that it cannot possibly be the way you have to go, but it most possibly is...
Somehow, we ended up going on the first day of Carnival! Carnival is a HUGE deal in Venice, it runs the week before Lent beings (ends on Mardi Gras/Shrove Tuesday). The closer we got to St. Mark's Square, the more we saw people dressed up in outrageous costumes! The Veneitians live for Carnival! I don't even know how to describe it besides amazing! All the costumes were incredible, some were just out of this world! St. Mark's Square, which is usually chalk full of pigeons was now chalk full of people instead, all singing, speaking different languages, dressed in costumes or taking pictures. There was a big garden set up at one end with a lion made of a shrub and beautiful lights, etc. It was so people could have a special place to parade around and feel all carnivally, they even played lovely nature/dream music. Wow.
Phoebe and I mostly wandered Venice, stumbling upon random concerts in the street and all kinds of fun stuff. We were lost about 80% of the time, but it was ok because there was so much to see, and how far away can you get really!? It's a island...
We also went to check out a cathedral and a free Vivaldi exhibit...Venice is super expensive, but there is so much that can just be looked at! :) I bought a mask...but I lost it in Rome so that was depressing, but I was mildly carnivally for a bit! In that garden thing in St.Mark's Square, we watched a tango party happening - a bunch of couples were on stage dancing, it was really cool and they have mad skills! We also saw three dinosaurs running around the square - they were performers from the Netherlands providing some carnival worthy entertainment. They were very agile and had nimble and they were a hoot to watch!
Venice was really neat. It is really unusual (it being as island and all), but so beautiful and QUIET! That was strange...no sirens...
Off to Roma!