Sleeper Train!

Venice is a beautiful city! I just wish I didn't have my bag on my back the whole day so I could have explored it more thoroughly. It was another gorgeous day though, in fact I got rather warm in my coat! And you think I would get sick of taking pictures of bridges, but then I take a corner and am taking them of another one all over again. Sadly I didn't make it to the far side of the island where the plaza is. If I had known it was so wonderful as I was later informed I would have taken the water taxi there! Alas, I may have to come back another time. Darn, I hate it when that happens. Such sufferings.
Still, I spent the day admiring the city, debating buying a carnival mask (which I decided against after trying some on and seeing how odd they looked on me), and soaking up the sunshine. I spent an hour sitting in the local park just people watching in the sun.
After a bit when my back was starting to hurt (I'm definitely out of shape in hauling my pack around after three months home) I decided to get some pizza for lunch. It was low key when a guy asked me if the pizza was good. He got really excited when I responded and he realized I was also an American. Guess he hasn't run into many on this trip. Stephen was a nice guy, we talked most the afternoon about random things and experiences we've had traveling and where we were each going next. Little full of himself though, and how much money he makes. I got kinda sick of hearing about that. I understand that he is a trauma surgeon, I think that's commendable. I don't need to guess what his yearly income is, thanks. Especially when I compare it to mine. And then he keeps telling me that the money isn't the important part. So why is it the one topic he kept coming back to over and over and over…! Still, it was nice to spend the afternoon with someone, and it obviously made his day that I was willing to spend it talking. We ran into each other again later in the evening when I was sitting on the steps to the train station waiting for the lights to start turning on the the Canal Grande.
I saw tons of gondola drivers all over the place, but only saw one group go for a ride. I figured it was probably cause it was so expensive, but then I wondered if that was only part of it when I saw the guy take his spin. I'm sure it would have been a wonderfully smooth ride about 30 years ago, but there were nothing but motorboats and their wakes out there today. That gondola was a rocking! Looked fun, but not in the way I would expect to have on a gondola ride. That makes it even more money to spend on a ride that doesn't go as smoothly (literally) as expected.
I did get onto the sleeper train for tonight though. I am actually on the train as I write this. I'm rather excited for my first experience of this. I got a four bunk cuccetta for girls, but judging from the set up, I think there may only be three of us in here. I am supposed to arrive in Wien Westbahnhof at around 8 am and then we will see what the plans become after that! Germany may or may not happen at this point, but I will make the most of whatever happens!