In Italy I discoverd I was a superior being...

Like Napoleon Bonaparte of old, "in Italy I discovered I was a superior being."
Not because of military victories, but because of the enhancing beauty all around me. And yeah, I'm actually not that arrogant as to think I'm superior by being here, but I can see where Napoleon was coming from. 

I stayed my first night in the lonely town of Hahn, Germany (population 450) before flying to Venice. On my plane ride, two kind Israeli men made friends with me and brought me back to my mission days--they gushed over my German (which is actually just decent), asked if I had a handsome boyfriend, inquired whether my beautiful eyes came from my mom or my dad. Normal questions that would happen on my mission were different this time as I was by myself. Though being kidnapped would have made this blog more interesting, we merely parted as new friends at the airport. 

I took a bus to Venice and yes, I had that stupid "I'm in Europe" grin on my face as I got off the bus in Italy and sought out my hotel. Fortunately I found some other study abroad people at the hotel and we set out exploring the city, feeling like we were thrown either back in time or into a Shakespearean fairytale. I satisfied my wander lust by walking around the city for six hours, adoring the red rooftops, the aqua canals, the gondolas, the not-parallel buildings, and the boat busses since there are no cars in Venice--you go by foot or by boat!

Venice only has about 50,000 people today, though forty years ago it had between 100,000 and 150,000. Now it's mostly just tourists, which is kind of sad, especially with the city sinking and all, but I guess I am a tourist so I shouldn't wage a war on myself.

The food has been good, but after 4 meals of pizza, I'm getting a little tired of that particular delicacy. We have had magical breakfasts at our hotel with all sorts of tasty pastries, yogurts, and cheeses and last night we had a kosher meal at a Jewish restaurant in the ghetto, where only about 450 Jews live today (at one point there were 10,000). We visited the synagogue there also and met some kind Jewish men.

We visited St. Marco's Basilica yesterday morning and were also attacked by pigeons. And by attacked, I mean we lured them to our hands with food. #aggressiveswarming

We ended our evening by taking a beautiful gondola ride with the charming Roberto, who was much less threatening than the swarming pigeons from earlier.

So in conclusion, Venice makes you a superior being, #liesnapoleontoldme #grainoftruth?