Parisian (Bad) Crumbs

We had to take a taxi to this itty bitty airport about an hour away because the shuttle services are 90% of the time a scam and never show up after taking your money. The taxi ride was very long and very expensive and we were so tired after a long trip. But we finally got to the airport and it took two seconds to check in and get through security. Then we waited in line at our gate (they made us get in a line) for about an hour and fifteen minutes with no one telling us what was wrong. We were supposed to board more than an hour before and we were just standing in line with no employees of the airline anywhere to be seen. Finally a few came out and they told us something about needing us to board quickly - no apologies, no explanations. After another few minutes, they actually began to board finally. We got on and got fantastic seats near the front, with an empty seat in between us to set stuff down on. And then we waited an hour without anything happening on the plane. Finally, the captain comes on and says that the Venice airports have closed completely because of fog and so our flight has been cancelled. This is two hours after we were supposed to have taken off.
They inform us that there are two lines inside we can use: one to change our flight and another for a refund. Of course, I have classes in the morning (it's like 8:00 at night) and so we have to get back to Venice. My mom has already paid for her hotel room as well. We run (leaving our checked bags in baggage claim) to the change your flight line and end up about third in line. After a long wait to get the people ahead of us settled, some confusion about someone trying to cut in front of me, and a small breakdown on my part, we finally get up to the counter. Wiping my tears, we explain that we want to take the flight that leaves in about an hour to Milan. Just getting into Italy would be so much better. So they book us on that flight, we run to get our bags and recheck them and then we head through security and get in line again. We only waited a few minutes in line this time and got on the plane, actually finding seats together (thank God). Then we wait (a frightening wait) until the plane finally takes off. A little while later we got to Milan and most things seem closed in the airport. Of course, the discount airline we are flying only goes to smaller airports, so we are outside the city and have to take a bus in to get to the train station so we can get to Venice. But, with a stroke of intelligence, we decide to call someone back in Venice to let them know what's going on and to have them check train schedules for us. Apparently no trains to Venice run until early the next morning, so we have to find a hotel near the airport. We ask someone inside and then go down a long and dark pathway with very little signage that takes us under the busy highway to the other side where there is a huge hotel. We check in (expensive) use their internet (expensive) to book our train. Finally, we head up to our gorgeous room. I so wish it hadn't been midnight and we could really enjoy this room. It was beautiful and the bed was ridiculously comfy. They had the best pillow I've ever slept on... I was very happy.
Anyway... we sleep about three hours and then have to get up and go downstairs. It's raining, so we have to take another cab to get back across the highway and take the bus to the Milan train station. We finally get to the train station, a 45 minute bus ride, and then we have to go to the ticket office and pick up our tickets (which thankfully went off without a hitch). We wait next to the trains for our track number to appear and get water and (terrible) croissants. We get on the train, the correct car, and in the correct seats but we are sitting separately. So we find other places to sit that are together and settle in in hopes that no one will come along with tickets for the seats we're sitting in. A couple hours later, we get to Venice!
We catch the vaporetto back to our stop and check my mom into her hotel. Then I go back to my house and take the thirty minutes I have left to take a quick nap and then go to my next class (I missed Italian in the morning). After class, I picked up my mom and we just roamed around the shops near San Marco. We actually purchased some rather expensive things, mostly as gifts. It was lovely. We ate a nice quiet meal at a good restaurant and then watched the finale of Project Runway before packing and taking my mom back to her hotel.
This morning I woke up way early and helped her get to the boat that (hopefully) took her to the airport this morning. She is flying first class (because of some real luck!) so she should be taken care of since she got to the airport. I hope to hear from her tomorrow that she has arrived safely at home.
And now I have caught you up (vaguely) on my life here in Venice. There will be more to come in about two weeks when I return from my second mandatory ten-day break. I'll keep you updated, however late.

Parisian (Good) Crumbs

We left for Paris on Friday extremely early in the morning. I had to wake up at 4:45 am. A long walk, a bus ride, a plane flight, and a taxi ride later we arrived at our hotel in Paris. The Marriott (my mom used some sort of points to get us the room for free!) was perpendicular to the Tuilleries and just down the street from the Louvre, across the Seine from the Musee d'Orsay. In other words, a perfect location. We only had to walk a couple minutes to get into the Marais district, which we love.
We spent Friday napping (we had to to function) and just roaming the streets of Paris looking at shops. Saturday we did some of the same, but it was rainy. We found a place to get our hair cut despite it being All Saints Day (many things were closed). This tiny salon was run by a man of about fifty who spoke only French. I don't remember any French really. So I was only able to tell him how short was too short. And I vaguely let him know that anything else was fine. He cut my hair first, surprising me by giving me bangs. It looked great though! And then he cut my mom's hair, probably way too short and kind of big on top. She doesn't hate it. I think it looks pretty good except for the top, which someone back home can probably fix for her.
Sunday we went to the Musee d'Orsay which was just amazing. My mom got to see Monet paintings in person for the first time since she was a child and first fell in love with the artist. She cried a little. It was sweet. Nowhere near enough croissants and chocolate later, we had to leave.

Visitors Bring Crumbs

My mom came to visit! Her arrival was amazing. Early in the morning last Friday, I went all the way to the airport and picked her up. Our first two days were spent wandering around Dorsoduro (my neighborhood), seeing the quaint residential areas and some small shops. I also took her to some more touristy places (like The Rialto Bridge and the Piazza di San Marco). We visited my favorite gelateria (Il Doge in Campo Santa Margherita) and we experienced grocery shopping (at Billa) in Italy. All very exciting stuff of course. My mom brought DVDs she recorded of the latest Project Runway season, which we of course watched during her visit.
On Wednesday, my friend Kate came! I sent Kate off to explore while I went to class. After my classes, I took my mom to my dance studio to watch my classes (she said she wanted to, I swear!). And afterward we explored some and got some delicious pizza with cheese all melty from some hole in the wall place on the way back from the studio. Anyway, we met up with Kate for a while and just enjoyed time together.
On Thursday I was able to take Kate and my mom along with me to our gallery visit for our art history course. We went to the Chiesa dei Frari and the Scuola di San Rocco. After all my classes that day, we took a tour (my mom and Kate included!) of La Fenice (a major, possibly the major, theater in Venice which we have been reading about in our literature class). I left the two to explore the city while I went home to do some homework and take a much needed nap. On Thursday night, Kate and I stayed up for a while playing cards and catching up. Then we parted until January. Kate stayed in Venice over the weekend but my mom and I went to Paris.