I Want to "Go with Oh" to Venice

The wonderful people over at Go with Oh have an amazing competition for travel bloggers that they've invited me to enter. My first thought was, "Free accommodations for a month in Europe doing what I already love to do?"

I'm IN.

Out of the ten destinations available, and choosing a favorite was extremely difficult, my top choice would be glorious, sinking Venice.

I spent a week in Venice in 2005 and to this day, I still recall the wonder that filled me as I strolled, and inevitably got lost, in the small streets and back alleys of that incredible city.

Getting lost in Venice, 2005

To have another opportunity to visit Venice, nay, to be able to stay in a local apartment, would simply be a dream come true for me.

Here are the top five things I would do and experience in Venice:

1. Blow glass - The streets of Venice reveal shop after shop of Murano's famed blown glass. I remember being so enthralled by the intricate creations during my first trip to Venice, marveling at the skills involved. Given time and the opportunity, I'd love to learn what the process of blowing glass is and hopefully, even get a chance to blow my own!
2. Travel through time - There's no doubt that Venice has been the sight of many significant historical events. As a history enthusiast, I'd love to not only learn more about Venetian history, but also have the experience of recapturing it while I'm physically there. I can imagine myself exploring Venice for the birthplaces of Marco Polo, Antonio Vivaldi, Giacomo Casanova, and the like, not to mention exploring the names and namesakes of Venice's calli, campi, and campielli. These lanes, squares, and "little squares" are all named after events that took place at that very spot, or from the jobs held by the residents of those lanes, squares, and "little squares." A lot of fun history to be discovered and I'd soak it all in!
3. Attend the Venice Film Festival - If the timing works out, I'd love to attend the Venice Film Festival, the oldest running film festival in the world! Even if I couldn't manage to snag tickets to this prestigious and popular event, just being there for the glitz, glamor, excitement, and celebrity sightings would be thrilling enough.
4. All things culinary- It's easy to just sit back and eat. I would be in Italy, after all! However, I wouldn't be content with just that. I have every intention of eating as much Italian food as I can fit into my belly, but I want to enhance my food experience. I would find a willing soul to take me in and show me how to properly prepare and cook truly authentic Italian meals. The whole she-bang, and, once I'm done learning and mastering my authentic Italian meal, you bet your ass I'm going to be cooking and sharing up a storm when I (reluctantly) leave Venice.
5. Photography - I could very easily spend my days and nights walking through every crevice of Venice, snapping away. From wide-angle shots of honeymooners enjoying their customary gondola ride on the Grand Canal to extreme close-ups of crumbling palazzo foundations, I would photograph just about every inch of Venice that I could!

If you're a travel blogger and interested in entering the competition, more information on the Go with Oh competition can be found on their website. I only ask that if you win and you heard about this contest through me, you bring me along as your guest!

Not a travel blogger? You can still win amazing prizes from Go with Oh through their Facebook page.

Retweet my post and leave a comment below to help me improve my chances of winning! Thank you in advance and hopefully, I'll be blogging from Europe with Go with Oh soon enough!

© Connie Hum 2012