Current mood:

cheerful

Vivacious Venice - Sat 28th April - Tue 1st May 2007
Ah Venice, city of Romance, Gondolas, Carnival, Canals, Cameras, Churches and sooooo many tourists :)

Actually to be honest I think Venice's reputation as one of the most romantic cities in the world is over rated. And gondola's are creepy! They're all black and silent and stealthy and they creep up on you when you're sitting by a canal and make you jump (then again this might have had something to do with the fact by this stage I'd been up since half one in the morning to catch our flight and my espresso levels were getting dangerously low . . .).

It really is like no where else I've been to. At first I thought it was a bit like a cross between Amsterdam and Tuscany, but I quickly came to the conclusion Venice really is like no where else on earth. For a start there's no car's, which is lovely, all the streets are lined with big, smooth cobblestones. Then there's the canals to contend with, which are great, but can make getting around a bit challenging when you find your way constantly blocked by river of water and have to go hunting for the nearest bridge. There's an interesting contrast between the natural open water and the reflected sunlight glinting off the buildings, and this very humanised, old worldly urban landscape. There's no nature strips or anything, just some trees around the squares. At odd spots there are these secrete gardens, lovely looking cool, shady places glimpsed from the canal and walled and gated from everyone else. There's a public park at either end of the island, but you're more likely to find some shade on the steps of an big, beautiful old church if you need a rest :)

As you cruise along the Grand Canal on a Vaparetto (Venice's answer to public transport al-la-water bus style) you get a sense of the slightly faded grandeur of the city. The buildings tilt and list at odd places, straight lines warp where one part has sunk more than the next. Intricate balconies and beautiful arched windows combined with warm red and orange hues of some buildings give the city a decidedly middle eastern flavour in parts. On the main streets the press of tourists in constant, and Saint Marcs Square at lunch time is a trial of patience and crowd endurance. The Basilica in the square is Stunning, like something out of a grand fairy tale or the top of a intricate wedding cake. The line to get Into the Basilica was equally awe inspiring, and my friend and I decided admiring from afar was better than waiting in line for 2 hours in the sun.

Everywhere you go you get this sense of faded grandeur. Of a city that retains its relics and style from yesteryear, be it a apartment, a gondola or gilded furniture, pass down from generation to generation (even if it is a bit shabby around the edges now and none of it quite matches anymore). Away from the crush of tourists and shops selling tourist tat, Venice retains a lovely sense of place with locals doing their shopping, chatting in the street and stopping at the local coffee bar for a quick espresso - all you need do is turn off the main street to enter into a more real, more relaxed Venice.

Glass, Carnival and Masks are three of Venice's biggest tourist exports and they are available almost Everywhere in various shades of hideousness. The genuine articles are harder to find, although having been into about 3/4 of the glass shops on Venice I believe me and my friend Elaine had a dam good crack at it. Pendants, rings, bracelets and earrings abound, from the gilded and garish to the rarer, sleeker and subtle. The Island of Murano in particular is know for its glass making. Back in the day this Island was the one of the few places in the world that made glass, and was the only place that knew how to make glass mirrors. Glass making was a high profile, highly skilled and secretive profession but it came at a price. Fearful of their precious secretes being shared with the rest of the world, the rulers of Venice deemed glass makers were only allowed to live in the Island of Murano, and were never allowed to leave to live somewhere else. I'm not sure what these grand old masters would think of modern day Murano, with it's avenues of touristy glass shops and 'ample' Venetians giving glass blowing demonstrations to rooms full of enthralled tourists (although having said that watching the guy make a swan out of blob of molten glass was rather cool, especially the bit at the end when the put a piece of paper on it and it burst into flame to prove the temperature of the solidifying glass really does reach 1000 degrees C +).

The Venetian's certainly seam to be a breed of their own, but still retain their Italian flare. Elaine and I spent many a time stopping for a quick espresso or cappuccino Italian style, standing at the bar for a coffee and cake hit (a cheaper and more authentic experience than sitting down. The concept of take - away coffee in Italy is somewhat unknown - why would you get a take away when you can stand and the bar for 5 mins for a quick coffee and be on your way? And Italian coffee, partially espresso is Devine, and I fully intent to become completely addicted while I'm in Tuscany this summer :)).

I don't personally think Venice its any more romantic than any where else I've been, nor is its reputation for a somewhat odorous city deserved (there was only one or two places in the back streets where the 'marine' smell was noticeable). I dread to think what Venice would be like in August in the height of the tourist season, but for a weekend in April it was lovely. It certainly has charm and character in spades, and I hope the inevitably increasing crush of tourists doesn’t diminish this engaging, oldworldy and charming city.

Ciao
Sarah