I just got back from a 2 day trip to Venice. Venice itself was absolutely breathtaking (as you can tell from the pictures). Some of our experiences were a little less serene than the scenery. We arrived at the hostle after getting lost WITH directions (but then again it is me we are talking about). This would not be the first time we would get lost in Venice, and I am sure when I return I won't do any better. When we arrived we were sent to a "2 Star" Hotel on the other side of the Rialto bridge. Thats where it got interesting. The receptionist proceeded to show us to our room which had dirty sheets and garbage all over the floor. We were finally given another room without a bathroom, but also without the mess. We put our stuff down and left to explore the streets of Venice and get some good Italian foor. We returned a little later to find a hotel room filled with male clothes, while ours were M.I.A. Apparently the hotel staff had taken our stuff into another room, but neglected to tell us when we returned. I told the guy it was against the law, and then stopped and realized I am not in America anymore. We went out to do some sight seeing, at the main attraction: St. Marks Basilica/Square. The church was absolutely beautiful, and the square was enormous, and completely covered in pigeons that attacked me when I tried to feed them. I was so afraid they were going to poop in my hair, but I escaped clean and unharmed. We spent the next day shopping and trying to find stores that we had seen stuff in the day before, but we couldn't even find our hotel once the sign was out of view, let alone a store with pretty bracelets made out of Venizian glass. We explored and got lost some more before heading home to Rome on the 5 hour train ride again. It is really good to be back in my bed and not a 2 star dirty hotel room. I have to go to school tomorrow bright and early (after all, I AM in Italy to STUDY), so I have to go to bed now before I pass out on top of my laptop.