“Hey, you’ve been to Venice, right? What should I do when I get there?”
“Anything you want, just stay away from the tourists.”
Back in the spring when I began to look forward to the start of university, I realized that after my summer job ended there would be a gap of almost six full weeks before school was set to start. The extra money I would end up making over the summer coincided nicely with this gap period, and I resolved to make the most of it.
But what to do, exactly, with this free time? Since I was already heading to Europe for my exchange program, I decided it was high time to start an exploration of the continent so much of American culture seems to stem from. Because I didn’t want to accidentally blow too much cash before the academic year had even begun, I decided I would spend a single week in one of Europe’s more well-known cities, instead of scrambling around the countryside trying to cover as much ground as possible. So, the final question: which city would I choose? I created a list of some of the most clichéd destinations in Western Europe, and after much deliberation made my choice.
As it does with most people, Venice has attracted me for as long as I care to remember. For centuries it has ranked decisively amongst the top travel destinations in the world for obvious reasons; the virtues of Venice’s twisting alleys, vaunted history, and trademark canals have been extolled ad infinitum (ad nauseam). The postcard industry alone has likely made billions off the city whose images are some of the most widely circulated in contemporary western culture. So, after extensively researching flight and lodging options, I gathered every bit of excess cash I could spare and, one week before I was due in Manchester, set out for the City of Masks.
A Wanderer In Training 