I remember going to Venus in middle school and taking a gondola ride. As a true character, my father sang italian hits such as “That’s Amore” grabbing the paddle from the ganzer, Italian word for conductor, and paddled us around. I silently vowed never to return to Venus or to take a gondola ride without a romantic partner. Well, I did return, during the peak of tourist season, with 100 degree heat, and without a boyfriend. It was far from romantic, but to maintain my promise to my 13-year old-self, I didn’t participate in the gondola ride. I did manage to take a picture of a “romantic” gondola ride and incidentally captured the expression of the fella next to me whose face exactly mimicked my sentiments. It was a nice day overall and if you ever go,
don’t try the “crema” coffee, but do try the macaroons!