Weekend in Venice, Part 1

Guest Post by Tejal at wideeyedgypsy.

Venice unfolded in front of me like a beautifully illustrated fairy tale. The setting sun provided the perfect light as I struggled to cope with visual delight of sights all around me.


After a long train ride to Venice, my travel partner P and I had just enough time to deposit our bags at our hotel before rushing to take the water taxi to Lido, where one of the last screenings of the Venice Film Festival was taking place. By the time we got off the water taxi, we were seriously evaluating whether we should bother to spend a couple of hours watching a film at all, and instead head back to the main island – there seemed to be so much to see.


We had tickets however, so we rushed to the Biennale, where A Single Man, the debut film by designer Tom Ford, was being screened. I’ll hit the highlights – gay film, gorgeous men, great suits, beautiful photography, protagonist trying to kill himself, depressing and unsettling. Lead actor Colin Firth was announced best actor at the festival for this performance. (Refer to Shane Danielsen’s column for the professional review).

The overall movie-going experience was made even more enjoyable by the silent glares P gave me every time there was an on screen kiss or a gratuitous butt shot (this happened a lot). I never thought that I would actually be thankful that he was carrying his Blackberry and could therefore occupy himself with email.

Lido has a relaxed, chilled out vibe (somewhat like a Goa (India)). It was late after the movie, so we hoped we could find someplace open to eat (Geneva living has taken its toll). We hit jackpot however, as we discovered possibly the best pizza we’ve ever eaten. If you are in Venice, head to the S Lucia railway station. The area around the station is called Canareggio, (home to the Jewish ghetto). This is a great place to head to after a late night out (think streets of Bangkok at night). On Lista di Spagna, we found places that served sit-down dinners and snack bars that made fresh pizzas late in the night. We loved the one next to Gino’s, (you can’t miss it, it also has a shawarma spit and a gelateria). With two new gelato flavours to top up a midnight snack, we couldn’t wait for the next day to begin.

This is Part One of a three-part series. You can catch the parts two and the wrap-up on Tejal's blog wideeyedgypsy

Tejal is an aspiring writer and dreamer. The few hours she spends writing every day are an outlet for frustration and a source of joy.