My free weekend from the seminary was like a dream coming true. Actually my dream did come true as you know. I went to Venice. There is no place like Venice in the world. NOTHING AT ALL! I have been to many islands (mostly Greek ones), but Venice is miraculous. It is not just an island, it's the whole history, whole character full of love, sadness, joy and sentimentality.
I have never been fond of Italy, but Venice absolutely changed my view of it. Honestly, you won't even realise in which country you are, because Venice is pure touristic place and you get to meet very few "real" people.
We flew from Berlin to Bergamo with the cheapest airlines, then took a bus till Milan and then got on train to Venice.
Yes, train was really something. We took the slow train (single ticket costs 14-16 euro) from Milan to Venice and got 50 euro fine because we didn't know we had to validate the ticket in a machine :| and on Sunday when we were going back to Milan, we validated tickets at once, but no-one even stepped in the train to check the tickets. Isn't that ironic? 50 euro, man? :( Ok, three of us shared this fine, but still very sad, you probably remember I was telling you about my "tight financial" period right now. So one should never complain I guess or be more cautious and read the instruction on the ticket.
Anyway, what we cared mostly was to visit Ghetto of Venice and see how people used to live there. It was nice to hear that the Ghetto gate was taken down by Napoleon who brought so called Enlightenment and give Jews rights to live like any other citizens. Unlike Shakespeare, who wrote really nasty drama about Jewish "Merchant of Venice".
I have never been fond of Italy, but Venice absolutely changed my view of it. Honestly, you won't even realise in which country you are, because Venice is pure touristic place and you get to meet very few "real" people.
We flew from Berlin to Bergamo with the cheapest airlines, then took a bus till Milan and then got on train to Venice.
Yes, train was really something. We took the slow train (single ticket costs 14-16 euro) from Milan to Venice and got 50 euro fine because we didn't know we had to validate the ticket in a machine :| and on Sunday when we were going back to Milan, we validated tickets at once, but no-one even stepped in the train to check the tickets. Isn't that ironic? 50 euro, man? :( Ok, three of us shared this fine, but still very sad, you probably remember I was telling you about my "tight financial" period right now. So one should never complain I guess or be more cautious and read the instruction on the ticket.
Anyway, what we cared mostly was to visit Ghetto of Venice and see how people used to live there. It was nice to hear that the Ghetto gate was taken down by Napoleon who brought so called Enlightenment and give Jews rights to live like any other citizens. Unlike Shakespeare, who wrote really nasty drama about Jewish "Merchant of Venice".
Ghetto Vecchio where all the Jewish shops and Sinagogues are
As for the hotel, we stayed at the "Leonardo", which is very near the Ghetto and the Chabad Centre where we were going to have Shabbat meals. Accommodation is very expensive in Venice as you can imagine, and honestly, we payed more than we had planned, but the hotel was run by such kind staff, they made discounts to us, nicely considering we were not well-off students.
Shabbat meals were really special - sitting by the Venice canals and singing Shabbat songs. I cannot even explain how it felt.
Would I be very banal, if I said that was like being a part of some play? Really. Whole weekend we stayed there I had this weird feeling, that someone would come up and tell me the show was over and we all had to go home, you know what I mean? This place is too beautiful to be true.
Shabbat meals were really special - sitting by the Venice canals and singing Shabbat songs. I cannot even explain how it felt.
Would I be very banal, if I said that was like being a part of some play? Really. Whole weekend we stayed there I had this weird feeling, that someone would come up and tell me the show was over and we all had to go home, you know what I mean? This place is too beautiful to be true.
But I guess I have to recommend you to visit Venice after you get married - that's a place for newly married couple (not only newly married) definitely. Meaning, I left Gondola for the next time.
That's where we had Shabbat Seuda (on the right bank)
Milan - too posh for me
Anyways, the trip to Italy was worth it. Even "Fashion Edom" Milan was interesting, but TOO en mode. But it's unbelievable how happy I was when I got back in Berlin. Italy is too loud for me plus I could not stand that everyone smokes there.
Also there was this big event in Berlin today, I posted on my Russian blog. Great tzaddik Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman visited Lauder Yeshiva and we had honour to daven with him Mincha and listen to his sweet-grandpa voice.
UPDATE: linking up with The Climbing Tree.
That's where we had Shabbat Seuda (on the right bank) 
Milan - too posh for me Anyways, the trip to Italy was worth it. Even "Fashion Edom" Milan was interesting, but TOO en mode. But it's unbelievable how happy I was when I got back in Berlin. Italy is too loud for me plus I could not stand that everyone smokes there.
Also there was this big event in Berlin today, I posted on my Russian blog. Great tzaddik Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman visited Lauder Yeshiva and we had honour to daven with him Mincha and listen to his sweet-grandpa voice.
UPDATE: linking up with The Climbing Tree.
