It’s a hot day in Venice and what better place to be then the beach? This seems to be the thoughts of thousands of beachgoers, packed onto the hot sand and splashing in the salty water. At around a hundred degrees, with the scorching sunshine blaring down, an itty bitty bikini and miles of water seem like ideal choices.
As I lay down my beach towel and prepare to lather on some sunscreen, I take in the surrounding scene. The sky is a clear blue, broken only by the bright summer sun that is already beginning to turn my skin a little pink. The sand is blazing beneath my bare feet, and the stifling heat is already making me drip with perspiration. I take in the giant crowd that has flocked here, each one with their own story. Some of them are clearly tourists, much like me, while others seem to belong. Some run through the water, others perch on their fluffy towels. Some wear a smile; whereas, others frown as if they have forgotten they are at a beautiful beach. Despite the differences amongst us all, there is a one thing most have in common. We are all engaged in lively conversations.
After scanning the beach for a short while, I realize one thing quite different from beaches back home-the attire (or might I say lack thereof). It doesn’t take much time for me to realize it is more acceptable to wear whatever you want. Unlike beaches back home, there are little to no individuals wearing garments to conceal their body rather than flaunt it. Here it is quite the opposite. Men strut around in tiny speedos, while women shimmy into the water in what would barely pass as a bikini. Looking even closer, I realize there are a few females who have nothing but a swimsuit bottom on. To me, it seems strange to wear so little in a very public place, but to most it does not seem out of the ordinary. I quickly learn that modesty is not a common trend here on the beach. Luckily, this seems to make most beachgoers more comfortable in their own skin, allowing us all to focus on enjoying the experience.
As I walk into the snack bar area, I begin to listen to the surrounding dialogue, many of which I cannot even begin to decipher. As I desperately search around for a cold water to quench my thirst, one conversation in particular sparks my interest, as it is in English and spoken by two good looking men. After casually listening for a few minutes, I realize the two are American soldiers stationed in Germany who have come to Venice for a long weekend. One talks of how he “can’t figure out where to go out late at night,” and the other agrees. Upon thinking about it, I am surprised the pair found this difficult, as Italy is known for having quite the nightlife.
After what seems like an eternity but was probably mere minutes, I find water and return to the hot sand. Despite the many differences among Italian and American beaches and there inhabitants, I realize there is one thing that unites us all. Each individual, no matter where they are from or what language they speak, is here to experience this little piece of heaven we call the lido.
Kelsey,
ReplyDeleteGreat choice to write about Lido Beach for this assignment. That's the first challenge in journalism: Finding the right tale, the right person to tell it.
I really like your snack bar scene, and the irony of American soldiers on leave being unable to find nightlife in Venice. I'm curious: Did you talk to them? That would have added another dimension to what unfolded.
Some of what you've written here is more diary than storytelling. The way to ramp up your writing a bit is to trim out the redundancies, the routine, and sometimes the "I, I, I" parts.
For example, to crisp up this whole paragraph, fearlessly trim the generalities about crowds and the excess words, and maintain present-tense verbs:
I lay down my beach towel and prepare to lather on sunscreen. The sky is a clear blue, broken only by the bright summer sun that is already beginning to turn my skin pink. The sand blazes beneath my bare feet, and the stifling heat makes me drip with perspiration... There is nothing to do but surrender to sea.