Bella and I had been waiting for that moment forever. It was 2024 and, we finally graduated college and we were ready. We hadn’t been seeing much of each other for a while because when we were little she moved from Florida to South Carolina. After high school we went to different colleges I went to Stanford University and she went to The University of South Carolina. Our parents got both of us a trip to Venice, Italy. “Bye mom, bye dad love you!” we both are yelling before we walked inside the jet bridge.
Ding. “Fasten your seatbelts the plane will be landing shortly,” said the pilot. A half an hour later we were checking into customs and getting our bags. I was tired of carrying my bags and I really wanted to go to the hotel.
“Bella do you want to go to the hotel?” I asked















“Yes!” she answers. My phone says Hotel Moresco is the one we booked, It’s a four star hotel so it must be nice. As we walked in I breathe in the crisp fresh air. The lady at the front desk said that we are on the first floor and gave us our room key. We were at the room entrance and I was really excited to see it. Bella unlocked the door and it’s beautiful. There was a balcony right over the water.
“My stomach is growling are you hungry?” Bella said.























“Of course I’m hungry, I’m always hungry!” I answered. We walked back to the front desk and I asked if there are any good restaurants nearby and the lady recommended Osteria Boccadora. It’s nearly a 15 minute walk from the hotel. I am very hungry so we are walking as fast as we possibly could. The food is fantastic but I’m to full to carry on. Now all I want to do is sleep. “Bella you look tired.” I say. She says that she is. As soon as I step room into the hotel I lay on my bed and go to sleep.
“Maria, wake up look what’s on TV!” Bella exclaimed, “Its Winx Club!”









“Leave me alone, I’m tired.” I said. One hour later, “Now I am awake, let’s go to breakfast.” I slipped on some clothes and we walked downstairs.













Bella said, “Let’s go on a Gondola and ride the canals.”












“That was really yummy.” I said. We found out were the place is and were on our way. As soon as we jump into the Gondola my phone starts ringing. “Hello?” I said




















“Maria? Are you there its Grandma and cousin Gerado wants to meet you!” “ Yes I’m here tell him that I’m staying at the Hotel Moresco and he can come meet me there.” She said ok then hung up. Then we went on the gondola ride. We are on a tour of Venice so we get to see everything. “Look that’s Marco Polo’s house!” Bella said.











“That was fun!” I said as we jumped out of the gondola.
We got back to the hotel around 5:00 and my cousin Gerado was waiting for us. He said that he wanted us to meet other family so we got in his car and took for a long car ride. When we got there I could tell that we weren’t in Venice anymore we were in Castel Frentano. When we got to his house it was around 8:00 and as soon as we walked in the door I could smell food. We sat down at the table and there was fresh food. Every Italian food you could think of. I said hello and we sat down to a large meal. We sat and they told stories. They told me a story about my Grandma and how he taught her how to make pasta and cheese. I think the story that grabbed my attention the most is about when my grand pop was a young boy. Gerardo said, “Vincent and Nonna live together at the time Vincent was 6. It was 1944, during World War II. They live at the top of the highest hill and the Nazi soldiers came in and occupied Nonna’s house. They had to live in the farm house and it was 3 miles away. Nona had to walk there and back every day 3 times a day to make them meals. Then the American soldiers came in and pushed them out so there was a conflict between them. The American soldiers were very nice and brought them chocolate from America.”















“Wow!” Bella and I said at the same time. After dinner it was nearly 11:00 Gerardo said that we could spend the night at their house.
The next morning we awoke to the rooster crow. We knew that everyone would be getting up so we had to. As soon as we walked downstairs breakfast was on the table. “Italians never cook lightly, Bella as you can see.” We sat down and dug in we had eggs, potatoes, bacon, sausage, cheese, bread and so much more. Gerardo said that would take us back to Venice and show us around. We got in the car for yet another 2 hour car ride and much more stories.
When we arrived back to Venice he said that we were going to go to Saint Mark’s Cathedral, Doge’s Palace, and Peggy Guggenheim modern art collection. Saint Mark’s Cathedral was beautiful. the murals on the walls and the beautiful lighting. Dodges Palace is one of the main landmarks of Venice, the outside was completely covered in crosses. The modern art collecting had some of the most beautiful and abstract art ever. Some of it I didn’t understand but I was still really cool. After that he took us back to the hotel he said that he would come back tomorrow.
“Maria, are you hungry because I am?” asked Bella

















“I could eat.” I said. We went back to Osteria Boccadora and I had Chicken Parmesan and it was great. Our waitresses name was Marietta and she looked like some of my family members that I had met the previous night. I asked her if she knew Gerardo because he is my cousin and she said, “Yeah! He’s my cousin!”
I was in shock because I have so much family in Italy. I told her about my day and how he took Bella and I around Venice to all the places and I told her that he is coming back tomorrow. She asked if she could tag along tomorrow and I said, “Of course!” I told her were we were going to meet and we were on our way. The next morning cousin Gerardo came with the whole family and Marietta came also we went around Italy and then had 1 last dinner together before it was time for Bella and I to leave Italy.