Love at St. Mark's

I fear I will never get back to blogging :( With my new couponing obsession--a whole separate post in it's own right!--mountainous piles of laundry, and a new found love for road biking, I find I no longer have much time to blog. Sad, I know.

Even more fearsome, I don't think I'll ever get around to posting the pictures and details of my Europe trip. And I know you're all dying to hear about that! Though, I did post a bunch of pics on my Facebook page. Except, if you're not my friend on FB, you won't be able to view them since my profile is private. Sorry. Don't like creepers stalking me on FB. Had a bad experience with that once. NEVER AGAIN!!!! But please, feel free to continue stalking my blog.

Anyways, so as to calm my troubled heart and to hopefully tide you over for a few more days, I
have a quick experience and a couple accompanying pictures to share with you about Venice.

A little back ground info...

Ry was in France for about 2 weeks with his class. I was to meet him in Venice one day before our cruise. Long story short, I ended up getting to Venice 5 days before our cruise. Therefore, I was left to my own devices in a foreign land for nearly a week.

Not knowing a lick of Italian and missing my Ryan dearly, I set off to take advantage of my extended stay in Italy. I explored every canal, cathedral, and market Venice had to offer. It was wonderful, albeit lonely.
Of course, I made my way to St. Mark's square. As expected, the place was crawling with tourists and pigeons. Already high-strung from the stressful plane ride over, I just couldn't handle the crowd. To avoid an anxiety attack, I opted out of venturing into the cathedral and just took pictures from outside, instead.A few days later, after I had gotten my bearings and was a little more relaxed, I decided to head back to St. Mark's for a second try at actually going inside the basilica. How could I make it all the way to Venice and not go inside St Mark's?

To tell the rest of the story, I'm copying in an email that I sent to my mom.

So glad I [went in to St. Mark's] today. There were only a billion people bit it was so beautiful. It was unreal. And to add to it, they were holding a service while I was there and I was able to look down into the nave and listen. The organist was playing and the choir was singing in the most beautiful [harmonies]. I definitely had a moment.

After spending nearly 2 hours there, I made my way to leave. I saw this young guard eying me as I was walking and looking at other stuff. He kept staring and kept staring and when I met his [gaze] he didn't turn away. Awkward.

I thought maybe he thought I stole something cuz I had my phone, camera, and money stuffed down my shirt.

He finally walks past men and as he does he touches my shoulder and says, "Bellisima! More beautiful than this cathedral!"

I said, "Uh, thanks" ad quickly hurried down the stairs to the exit.

I walk out into the square and hear from behind me, "Bella! Bella!"

I turn around and it's the guard. He hands me a little package and says, "A present for mio amore."

I thank him and make to turn away [when he] asks for my name I tell him Whitney. Bahahahaha!!!

He [introduces himself as] David and tells me to open the present. [Inside are] two postcards, one just of Venice and the other of St. Mark's. David says, "So you remember where to find me on your return."

About to throw up I say, "OK, I'll be returning tomorrow with my husband." Then I practically ran away cuz he was creeping me out.

I wonder how many postcards David has bought in his day.

I wouldn't have been surprised if this guy followed me back to my hotel in Campalto. Super creeper!!!

But isn't this scenario exactly what American girls conjure up when they dream of Italy? Being swept off their feet by some Italian hunk of a man?

Though, it would never have worked out between David and I. We'd illicit way too many Mormon and Catholic jokes.

Until my return, mio amore.