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Published: October 2nd 2018
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Our first choice after leaving England in early July was to go to Paris. After checking the forecast for the next few days (95F, or 35C) and air/train fares, we realized that Venice may be a better choice at this point. Paris would have to wait a bit longer. Venice was also hot, but not 95F. Our room on the fourth floor was one of the few in the hotel to have air-conditioning, but we had to walk up four flights of steps to get to it.
Venice started out as a haven for refugees while the Roman Empire was disintegrating in the fifth century. The “locals” started a series of refugee settlements in and around the Venetian lagoon, hoping that the invading Visigoths and Huns would stay away from the wet areas. “The lagoon is a delta littered with tiny, muddy islands created by sediment dropped by rivers. As refugees squatted on this wet and miserable land, they kept certain streams from silting, and these streams eventually became canals. A motley collection of about 120 natural islands eventually became Venice” (Rick Steves Venice, 2004, p. 248).
From these humble beginnings came such a beautiful and romantic
city. The Byzantine Empire was expanding into Italy and trade routes were being established in the area. Because of its location on the trade/shipping route between “east” (Byzantium) and “west” (Europe), over time Venice grew rich and powerful. Some noble families showed their wealth by building luxurious palaces around the developing city, and along the Grand Canal (the main waterway in the city). Marco Polo set out on his travels to China from here.
Venice is a series of small islands, connected by bridges. There are no roads here; all transportation is either by foot or on the water. In centuries past, gondolas were the way to get around on the water. Now they are a great (but expensive) way to see the city. If the passengers pay extra, the gondolier will serenade the passengers. We’ve taken gondolas in the past; now we just watch them from bridge overpasses, and we can hear the serenading from our hotel room. A more practical way of getting around is by vaporetto, which are ferries that act like a local bus, only on the water, transporting people between the stops. One of my favorite things to do (besides listening to the serenading
gondoliers) is to take the vaporetto back and forth along the Grand Canal. We usually buy a multi-day pass, which allows us to have unlimited rides for our time in the city. I try to grab a seat on the outside and take pictures of the buildings and mansions along the way. Once you have the pass, it's an easy and comfortable way to see some sights and while away the hours... I love the paintings, mosaics and the details on some of the buildings, especially the windows.
St. Marks Basilica (Piazza San Marco) was completed by 1091. It holds the supposed remains of the apostle Mark, which was brought/stolen from Alexandria, Egypt. Venice was in the Byzantine (eastern) Empire when the basilica was built, which is why it has an eastern appearance (with the domes) rather than a typical “western” church. The basilica’s inside is quite a visual feast, with colorful tiles and mosaics, and other fantastic architectural features. “For its opulent design, gold ground mosaics and its status as a symbol of Venetian wealth and power, from the 11th century on the building has been known by the nickname Chiesa d’Oro (Church of gold)” (
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Mark's_Basilica).
Donna
Leon writes mysteries that take place in Venice. She always has Brunetti, the police officer investigating the crimes, walk the streets of Venice, and she gives vivid descriptions of these walks. A few years ago, someone went through her first 15 or 16 books, and detailed the walks in his own book. I followed a few of these walks and ended up in residential areas with so much greenery and small parks; something you don't see if you stick to the touristy area around St. Marks Square. Pete would rather wander the small alleyways with no map in hand to get lost and find places where the locals hang out, so we usually split up and go on our own walks.
I recently read a book called “
Overbooked: The Exploding Business of Travel and Tourism,” which didn't have favorable things to say about tourism in Venice. The general idea is that “the powers that be” are more interested in creating more tourism for the city, to the detriment of the locals living there, and the culture and history and infrastructure of the city. Venetians are being priced out of the city; in 2009 there were about 60,000 locals living
in the city, with 55,000 tourists visiting the city on a given day (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/mar/01/venice-population-exodus-tourism). In addition, Venice is sinking, and the sea levels are rising. During certain times of the year (high tide, a certain wind blowing...), St. Marks Square (the lowest point in the city) is flooded (“aqua alta” - high water). Boardwalks, sometimes as high as about two feet off the ground, are installed around the city for pedestrians to walk on so they don’t have to navigate the flooded squares. The first floor of many residences along the Grand Canal are so frequently flooded by the aqua alta, that they are no longer used. In addition to the rising sea levels, Venice has had an increase in cruise ships arriving in the city, further displacing the water. Donna Leon wrote a book entitled Aqua Alta, and often writes about other concerns she has for the city.
Venice has a lot of day-trippers, so the city is much quieter early in the morning or in the evening, before and after the swarm of tourists converge on St. Mark's Square. There are two restaurants on the square, each with its own small orchestra (five or so
performers), outdueling each other for patrons most evenings. Visitors can either get a drink and/or dinner at one of the restaurants (for a hefty price) and listen to just one of the orchestras, or wander back and forth and listen to both orchestras. The crowds have usually gone by now, so it’s fun to find a place to sit and absorb the atmosphere. While we were in Venice, St. Marks Square was set up for a concert - Zucchero was giving a free performance that night, in the Square, so the dueling orchestras had the night off.
We’ve both been to Venice a few times in the past. Even with the issues it’s experiencing, we’ll continue to go back because it’s such a magical place. We try to avoid St. Mark’s Square during the day, and instead wander the backstreets.
Near Venice is Verona, the fictional home of Romeo and Juliet. Verona is also home of the Verona Opera Festival, held every summer in an old amphitheater built by the Romans around 30 CE. We’re not opera buffs, but I still wanted to see a performance, outdoors, in a 2,000 year old venue. Very cool. The Roman architects
weren’t very accommodating for short people, though - some steps were about 18” high! The seats in the upper sections aren’t what you find in modern, cushy theaters - these were stone! On the plus side, there was enough room on the seat platform for a picnic, and you could buy wine (or water) in the theater. And cushions are available for rental.
While the opera (Carmen) was going on outdoors, people wandering the streets nearby could probably hear it. Meanwhile for the sports fans, the World Cup was also going on. Some sports bars had their tv’s on, also outdoors, and tuned into the World Cup game. At some point while the singing was going on, all of a sudden you could hear a really loud cheer, mid-song. Brazil had scored a goal (but still lost the game). A little something for opera fans, and a little something for sports fans.
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