Venice

Monday May 19, 2008



Up at 6:45 am to drive to Venice, about 3 1/2 hours. Drove through mountains and over the Po river. Arrived in Venice. Drove into Piazzle Roma, which is as far as vehicles can go in Venice. Had lunch at a cafe on the patio overlooking a canal. I found out Fettuccini Alfredo has ham in it, mom had lasagne. Venice is like nothing I have ever seen before!

This is not the best picture, but the rows of green silver trees on the right are olive trees

Red poppies grow everywhere in Italy

There is nothing better than having lunch looking out over a canal

Then off for a gondola ride. There were 6 of us in the gondola and it was quite tippy, so our gondolier was having to frequently remind us that shifting our weight could tip over the gondola. Could you imagine accidentally tipping a gondola, 6 soaking wet tourists that would be funny! Beautiful to see Venice from a gondola.

Then off to a huge ferry to take us and our bus across to an island called the Lido where our hotel was. At its narrowest point the Lido is less than 1 km wide, you could look in either direction and see both shores. Our hotel was a home that was converted into a hotel. We walked to the Adriatic Sea, which was neat to see. It turned out to be a beautiful day, they called for showers but they never came. We explored around our hotel before having a rest.

The Adriatic Sea!

We had an included dinner which was very good at a nearby restaurant and then headed off for an optional excursion of a cruise of the Grand Canal and visiting St. Mark's Square to see it all lit up at night.

It was raining a bit as we took a water taxi over. Stopped at the Rialto Bridge, which was beautiful all lit up. Then off to St. Mark's Square.

Evening boat ride on the Grand Canal

Art outside a museum

The Ponte di Rialto (Rialto Bridge) is the true heart of Venice. The current structure was built in just three years, between 1588 and 1591, as a permanent replacement for the boat bridge and three wooden bridges that had spanned the Grand Canal at various times since the 12th Century. It remained the only way to cross the Grand Canal on foot until the Accademia Bridge was built in 1854.

The Rialto Bridge's 24-foot arch was designed to allow passage of galleys. The massive structure was built on some 12,000 wooden pilings that still support the bridge more than 400 years later.

Me and mom on the Rialto Bridge

For approximately eight hundred years, Venice enjoyed a position of unrivalled superiority. Considered a breed apart from its European cousins, Venice was unquestionably the most extravagant, most beautiful state on the Continent.

Unlike the vast majority of their counterparts in contemporary European nations, each citizen in Venice enjoyed a high standard of living. With a level of social wealth unequalled since, the citizens of Venice developed a unique culture - one in which the concealing of the identity in daily life became paramount to daily activity. Part of the secrecy was pragmatic: there were things to do, people to see, and perhaps you might not want others to know what deals you were cutting.

State inquisitors and spies could question citizens without fear of their true identity being discovered, and citizens could answer without fear of retribution. The morale of the people was maintained through the use of masks - for with no faces, everyone had voices.
As a result of the concealment of identity, however, people naturally found themselves taking advantage of the situation. The society grew ever more decadent. The immense amount of travelers coming through the city meant that sexual promiscuity was commonplace and acceptable.

The Republic fell into a state of luxury, indolence, and moral decay. Eventually the wearing of masks in daily life was banned and limited only to certain months of the year, eventually shortened to the week-long festivities Carnevale.

St Mark’s square at night

We ended up at a wonderful cafe in the square that had a band playing. Enjoyed a glass of red wine and beautiful music. As we were leaving I found the knock off Prada purse I was looking for. By buying it I was probably funding child labour or terrorism!! It was a perfect evening. Quick boat ride back to the Lido to get some sleep.

Video of the band

Tuesday May 20, 2008

Up at 6:30 am. Off to Venice by water taxi to see the Bridge of Sighs and St Mark's Square. We went inside St Mark's Basilica. The entire interior was done in beautiful mosaics. Bought a few postcards as you can't take photos inside.

Bridge of Sighs. Antonio Contino's bridge over the Rio di Palazzo was erected in the year 1600 to connect the prisons, or Prigioni, with the inquisitor's rooms in the main palace. The name "Bridge of Sighs" was invented in the 19th Century, when Lord Byron helped to popularize the belief that the bridge's name was inspired by the sighs of condemned prisoners as they were led through it to the prison. Doge's palace is in the left and the prision is on the right.

Venetians won’t walk between these pillars as it is the spot where public executions took place

The Doge's Palace. The palace was the residence of the Doge of Venice. The title of Doge was used for the elected chief of state.

Saint Mark's Basilica, the cathedral of Venice, is the most famous of the city's churches and one of the best known examples of Byzantine architecture. It lies on St Mark's Square adjacent and connected to the Doge's Palace. Originally it was the chapel of the Venetian rulers, and not the city's cathedral. Since 1807 it has been the seat of the Patriarch of Venice, archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Venice.

We watched a glass blowing demonstration which was incredible. He made a vase and a horse. We were told that for the first time learning the craft is being taught to people outside of the area, as no young people are taking up the craft. It takes years to become a master, and they worry the craft may die off. Then off shopping!

On our way back to meet the group St Mark's Square had flooded. It was so neat to see. Everyone was wading out to have their pictures taken.

Acqua Alta. The Flooding of Venice, when it does happen, is only temporary lasting around 1 to 2 hours depending on the level of the tide.

Acqua Alta as it’s known by the Venetians is a regular occurrence in Venice. There are numerous factors that can play a role in creating the high waters that flood the city of Venice. The main culprit is the tidal flow of the Adriatic as it pushes water into the Lagoon. This tidal flow tends to be at its most influential at the beginning and end of the full moon cycle.

After the influence of the tides, the winds blowing down from the Balkans or up from the Sahara can also play a major role in the floods of Venice. Pushing water on to the city, wave after wave until all the streets of Venice become flooded.

This is where I bought my fake purse the night before. I bought the yellow one.

In the afternoon we were off for an optional excursion of the island of Burano which is a small fishing island. Rained off and on. We all went to a seafood restaurant for the best seafood! It was endless; seafood risotto, clam spaghetti, sole, St Peter's fish, shrimp, calamari and these S shaped cookies that you dip in your wine. They are produced on the island, so of course mom and I bought some to take home. I would like the record to reflect that I, the former picky eater, tried and enjoyed everything! And mom did not. Then off shopping.

A minor mix up and mom and I found ourselves lost when trying to meet the group to leave. The locals we so kind to help us try to find our way, but with the language barrier we kept ending up at the public transport dock. We eventually reconnected with our tour guide, who had to send the group back on their own and come looking for us! We took the public transport back to the Lido. Thankfully only bruised egos. I guess it was a good thing to get lost on an island, we didn't get too far!

Then back to the hotel to pack all our treasures in preparation for Switzerland tomorrow! Had some tea, and early to bed. We set the alarm clock early for 5:45 am, so we wouldn't be late, after the afternoon's fiasco.