Today was interesting, but obviously awesome.

I woke up and went to buy my VeneziaUnica card and Rolling Venezia pass. I got a 7-day Unica card and 3 day Rolling Venezia pass for 54 Euros and then bought 7 days of WiFi for 20 Euro, so all in all it was a MUCH better deal than the 72 hour 72 Euro Firenze card.

After buying my pass I wandered around and bought some lunch. There are places here, very similar to tapas bars, where you buy individual hors d’oeuvres for about 1-1,50 Euros each. There is such a wide selection and every place offers something different. I got 5 little tapas and a wine spritz for 7 Euros at Al Bottegon. It’s expensive, but I mean I appreciate spending 7 euros for unique, different things, than I do spending 8,50 for a plate of spaghetti noodles and olive oil.

One was hard boiled eggs and mushrooms, another was pistachio butter (it was AWESOME), one was squid and cucumber, I got a piece of spicy meat, and two others.

I went across the bridge nearby and sat at a well and just chilled and ate and drank and relaxed.

After lunch I went to try to track down some friends that were in Venice, but was unsuccessful and ended up in the Jewish ghetto.

I didn’t go to any museums, but the ghetto was very cool because I wrote a LOT about the Jewish population in my thesis.

I didn’t realize Venice was so big, but I’m really glad I bought the Rolling Venezia card (a transit card for young people in Venice).

Now, for the almost murder…

On my way to the ghetto, I was at the Vaporetto stop by the Accademia and I was looking at the schedule. As I said yesterday, the map and schedule are very confusing, so I was just standing at the schedule poster with my handheld map and someone came up and grabbed both of my shoulders from behind.

My first thought was that it was someone from the group I was trying to link up with that recognized me (ya know, the red hair is a giveaway in crowds). So, I grabbed my purse straps, but turned around to my left with a slight smile and didn’t see anyone and the pressure on my shoulders got more strong. Whoever was holding on to me pushed me to the right and I turned to the left.

It was a man. I said, “Excuse me?!” and he said, “Pick a side, you’re standing right in the middle!”

I do have a problem with not paying attention to my surroundings sometimes so I thought perhaps I had been in the way of people, but there were no other people around, just him. About this time I started to get really agitated that a man I didn’t know had just come up behind me and physically grabbed me and moved me.

I said, “I’m sorry, excuse me…” and just started staring at him with the most evil look I could muster. He looked at the schedule and at his watch (he was wearing workout gear) and said, “Oh, 19:50, that’s perfect!”  I still didn’t know what boat to get on and was trying to look at the schedule and my map. He saw me looking and said, “Where are you trying to go?” So, I just said “I found it, thanks!” (in the most southern accent I have) and got on the boat that was about to pull away. Luckily, it was the right boat and I got to the right stop.

I was so agitated and my nerves were so shot because I legit thought I was about to be assaulted.

I am already on high alert at all times because this is my first time every traveling alone (even in the U.S.) and then someone randomly grabbed me.

I really hate when stuff like that happens because it ruins my mood/day. It wasn’t a big deal and I shouldn’t have gotten upset. It was mainly my fault for being inconsiderate…I know he will go home tonight and put his head on his pillow and think, “Man, I tried to help that girl and she was such a bitch.” He won’t think, “Man, I shouldn’t have gone up behind that woman and grabbed her body.”

I should have said something to him in a nice and calm way, rather than just walking off so that he knew not to do it again. How does a man not know that you don’t walk up to someone you don’t know and grab them from behind though?!

I would have rather him said, “Hey, bitch, move!”  or tapped my shoulder or said excuse me. I wouldn’t have been mad or offended and I would have felt dumb for getting in his way…

I just wanted to go back to my room and take a nap. I went and got some wine and a gelato (I use food as therapy-shocker) and I felt better. I went back to my room anyway to charge my phone and wait for the group I was planning to meet up with.

I went to meet up with my friends around 8:30. We had a couple of beers and talked. I navigated my way all the way to the other side of the city and back! Coming back tonight was a little scary because a lot of these streets are dark and everything was closing.

Once I got back near my hotel, I stopped and got some more tapas. This time I just got some croquette like things and a baby squid!

Tomorrow, I am meeting up with my friends in the morning to go to a museum, then who knows what.

I have never been to Burano, but it’s been in every show, movie, and book I’ve ever seen about Venice, so I’ll probably check that out Wednesday!

Thanks for reading y’all; here are some random pictures from today!