The Rest of the Sotry Bit by Bit Part I:

Ok. I'm really really sorry. But I'm sure that at least 90% of you are (or were) university students. And thus you should know, that being a student equals a lot of homework. Now don't get me wrong, the profs didn't all go and bog me down to no end, but when you're doing weekend trips every weekend, there tends to be less time to do actual homework.

So. Last thing I told you about was Cinque Terre. So, the weekend after that was kind of a big deal in these parts. A little thing was going on called Carnivale. Do you know what Carnevale is? It's pretty much this great big party everyone has (supposedly it's a Christian thing, but everyone's allowed to join in the fun) ... a big party before the sombre occasion of Lent, that period that comes before Easter. Now, if you don't know what Easter is, I will have to point you in the direction of the nearest church, Bible, or wikipedia entry (the latter is probably the most accessible to you right now, considering you are on the internet to read this). Anyway, the point is, that for quite a few days people will party it up, right up until Fat Tuesday/ Martedi Grasso / Mardi Gras (pick a language), the last day before Lent begins with Ash Wednesday.

So, the point of that long schpiel (it could be longer), is that, if you can, you should one day tromp out to Venice, where you buy a mask from a vendor on the street if you're cheap, or a nice once from a store if you're not, and wear it every night, when the ... ahem. "celebrations" take place.
Venice is pretty much the place to celebrate Carnevale. So when you're there, you will see (as I did), strolling down the confetti-strewn streets a great deal of people dressed to the nines (and I'd daresay tens). They have these elaborate, elegant but somehow comical gowns, getups and costumes. And they just walk around and let you take their pictures. It was, to say the least, very cool.

And then, at night, everyone would stick on their masks and troop down to Piazza San Marco for a light show and acrobats and just general good times.

Now, the generalizations covered most of my trip, but, in general, Carnivale celebrations do not involve having a beer bottle chucked at your head whilst you are getting a ride with a somewhat shady gondolier in the dark, backwater canals of Venice. I think it is fair to say that that was a unique experience.

Obviously, this is all of what I did that weekend I went to Venice to celebrate Carnivale. It was highly fun, and I very much reccomend it if ever you get the oppertunity.
That's all I will say, since my last post was to the point of unforgivably long, and since now, school being done, I will possibly have time to add more posts. As long as the hotels I'm at have internet. Which, of course, is not at all likely. But in any event, it will get done.