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Everything in St. Mark’s Square was like a dream. Briefly, St. Mark’s Square was heaven on the Earth. Bibliography aviewoncities. (2018). venice/piazzasanmarco. Retrieved from aviewoncities.com: https://www. aviewoncities.com/venice/piazzasanmarco.htm Renzulli, M. (2018, October 21). Saint Mark’s Square. Retrieved from tripsavvy.com: https://www. tripsavvy.com/saint-marks-square-1548023?utm_ source=pinterest Rogers, B. R. (2018). venice/st-marks-square-i-vn- vpsm.htm. Retrieved from planetware.com: https:// www.planetware.com/venice/st-marks-square-i-vn- vpsm.htm southgatesteeplejacks. (n.d.). anatomy.html. Retrieved from southgatesteeplejacks.com: http:// www.southgatesteeplejacks.com/anatomy.html St. Mark’s Square: a must. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.airfrance.com.cn/CN/en/common/ travel-guide/st-mark-s-square-a-must.htm Mehmet Alp ARARGÜÇ Prep-D İZMİR It was quite thrilling for me to travel on a mid-size, white dove steamer for the first time. The steamer had a huge, grey-blue anchor. The steel grey, metal stairs were slippery and narrow, and the metal handrails almost burned my hand with the heat from the Sun. However, the deck was wide enough to walk around freely. Four rows of seats were there, waiting for me to sit on them while the Sun was hot as hell and the weather was too humid, which made me sweat way too much. My body was begging me to sit in one of them. Wooden white seats were a little slippery and damp as well, but it was not a big deal as the joyful screams of seagulls filled my ears with delight. As we were leaving the crowded harbor, the people walking around or running, with nervous looks on their faces or wide smiles, or the people drinking some tea or coffee in a café became smaller and smaller. I stared out to the luminous, azure blue sea. The view was fabulous: the waves were shining and sparkling like sapphire, going up and down quietly, a song that you would want to listen to forever. Suddenly, a calm and cool sea breeze stroked over my face which was a drug for me in the humid and sunny afternoon. A salty smell came from the sea as the light breeze flew over the steamer, which was invigorating and it refreshed my lungs. The sea view was combined with the spectacular view of Izmir as we were getting closer to the other harbor. The bright grey and royal blue skyscrapers and our proud flay flattening in the breeze and shining with its blood red color, coming from our courageous martyrs were a wonderful match with the Aegean Sea to watch for eternity. Next to the skyscrapers, energetic streets and colorful buildings of all sizes were all worthy of being gazed at for hours. The people on the promenade were drinking tea, chatting with their friends with a big smile on their faces, reading books under an oak tree or just strolling along. While I was bewitched by the sight, the laughers of children trotting along the deck brought me to life and an itinerant “simit” seller handed me one. Right after that seller, an orange juice and tea seller served people some drinks. He also handed me a cup of orange juice. The savory, dry and crunchy simit and the freshly squeezed sweet orange juice were an excellent pair for an afternoon snack after walking so many wonderful places at noon in Izmir. The children were running around on the wooden brunette brown deck joyfully and they made me overjoyed at the end of the trip. I waved goodbye to that stunning view as the steamer started to slow down little by little. The amazing sea lapped for the last time, and we stopped at our new fascinating destination, Karşıyaka. Ecesu SARIOĞLU Prep D THE CLAPPER 2018 - 2019 31 The other two sides of the square were filled with two strange and sinister hotels; it made one feel in the Colosseum and as though some wild lions would appear from the meandering and narrow alleys. The Dark grey arches of the hotel were the only difference between the Colosseum and the hotel. For those who were interested in enjoying their breakfast or lunch in the open air, colourful portable tables, comfortable armchairs and baby blue sunshades were available in front of the hotel. From the same hotel's restaurant part, the appetising aroma of the freshly baked pizza wafted across the square slowly. Sliced black olives, burnt-red sausages, sweet corns, ivory mushrooms, tuna, mozzarella cheese and salamis were on the melted cheddar cheese, with some spices indigenous to Italy. The pizza was the most toothsome in the world. It was an exceptional mixture of sweet, savoury and spicy.