WHATEVER FLOATS YOUR BOAT

I apparently committed three cardinal sins while in Venice. One, I didn’t go on a gondola ride. Two, I didn’t eat any pizza. (Pause for collective gasp.) And three, I didn’t buy a Carnival mask.

In my defence, I had good reasons for all three. A gondola ride is €80-€100 (R1 300-R1 645) for just half an hour. And if you want an onboard accordionist or tenor (yes, those are real options), it will set you back even more. My mom, who I was travelling with, typed the amount into the calculator on her phone, and gave me a look that spoke volumes. No discussion needed: we were on the same page. We could find better ways to spend that money.

Fun fact, while we’re on the topic: there have been attempts to outlaw the singing of ‘O Sole Mio’ aboard gondolas; some locals