Submitted by Eric Szot on the 2014 winter session study abroad program in Italy sponsored by the Honors Program…
The final week of my traveling studies has been in Venice (Venezia in Italian) for the most part. Florence (Firenze) ended with a visit to the Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens on Saturday, followed by a day excursion to Siena on Sunday. Monday was a free day in Florence, so I invested and bought my first leather coat from a salesperson I had befriended earlier in the week there. On Tuesday we left for Venice; the journey took awhile, but it was truly beautiful driving through the snow covered mountains. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday morning Venice flooded! The high tide was in the city until about noon each day, but we made it out in the afternoons to explore. On Wednesday, we made it to El Musei di Piazza San Marco (the museum of the Doges (Dukes) Palace), Basilica di San Marco (St. Mark’s Basilica), and Ponti Realto (Venice’s most famous bridge). Thursday, we went to El Musei Ebraico di Venezia (the Jewish Museum of Venice) which contained three different synagogues and the remnants of the Jewish Ghetto. We also had our last religion class that night. Friday, we packed up and left for Milan (Milano) to finish out our Italian stay. We have a tour of the city Saturday, our final class and farewell dinner Sunday, and we come home on Monday! What a month it has been!