Venice, My Safe Haven

Venice was and is still one of my favourite cities. Because it’s beautiful and full of cool places, but also because, for a few months, it was my safe haven, a place where I felt in security and free.

A Really Bad Start

I did my first internship in Vicenza, near Venice. It was the first time I travelled for a long period of time (three months) all by myself. My boss was paying for my flat and had chosen it. At first, I thought it was pretty cool, but in reality, it was a poisoned gift.

The flat was 2 hours away from work, and I had to take two buses every morning and evening. It was also far from the center, 8and I could only go to the city center when buses were running.

Also, there were ants and cockroaches.

And cherry on the top: it so happened that the previous tenant was a prostitute! Imagine: you’re twenty, alone and a guy keeps ringing the intercom because he thinks you’re a prostitute and wants to go see you (“I’ve lost your phone number”, he said). I had to talk to him through the intercom to understand the situation and then explain calmly that I wasn’t who he thought I was. Scary.

The Escape To Venice

After a few weeks being stuck in my flat, not being able to go out in the evenings, not having Internet, and not knowing anyone, one weekend, I decided to go to Venice. I could take a bus, and then the train. It was cheap: 8 euros only.

So I took all the courage I had and did just that. And it was amazing! The arrival by train remains one of my very fond memories of Venice: on both sides, you see the water. And the train station is gorgeous! I felt so happy. There were all sorts of people, Andean music, waiters trying to convince you to eat in their restaurants, slush drinks, delicious ice-creams… It quickly became my paradise.

Free Art And Exhibitions

On that year, it was the Biennale of Art. And that meant that you could get lost in a small street and end up in a palace, in a room filled with sand. You could walk in this inside beach, feeling strangeness slip through your sandals, and arrive to a door leading to the canal. Then, head out and enter another palace filled with interesting photos. I had never experienced that. I felt like Alice in Wonderland.

And then, in the streets, I saw many churches, squares and fountains. I had mint slush drinks in Piazza San Marco, and collected photos of weird statues of lions. It was clear the artists had never seen a lion. I looked at expensive shops showing furry coats when the weather was extremely hot. It seemed absurd, and I loved it. But Venice is also full of small streets where the winds rushes and makes you feel completely alive. I bought some small objects made of glass… And at some point, I had to go and find the train station.

Lost In Translation In Venice

I walked in several streets and started fearing that I would not find the station in time. I saw a couple that seemed nice and asked the lady “Dov’è la stazione, per favore?”. The lady looked at me and said: “Which one?”. Oh Lord, is there more than one? I panicked.

But we talked a bit more, and it turned out that she meant the train or the bus station. Phew! She said that they were going in the same direction and that she would guide me. We started talking and she was actually French. She told me she was happy to speak French, because she hadn’t in a long time. She was living in New Zealand with her British husband, and she was in Venice to organize an exhibition. Since it was on our way, she decided to show it to me. Unfortunately, she couldn’t because it was not officially open yet.

The Beginning Of My Life As A Traveller

This lady was my first encounter in a foreign country, and she showed me how strangers can become great friends in an instant. On that evening, I took the train home, and decided to go visit some other cities.

I actually ended up visiting pretty much every cities of the Veneto region, travelling each Saturday to a different destination. I met a German girl in Verona and became friend with her. And I returned several times to Venice (mostly on Sundays, because shops were always open there), alone or with friends.

To see more photos of Italy, you can visit the gallery Italy.