I’ve been to Venice before. Several times, in fact. For some reason – on this visit – I am stunned into the recognition that I know almost nothing about this watery wonderland.
Several obvious questions have occurred to me, for which I don’t know the answers. Every guide on every city tour I’ve ever taken would have answered these questions.
First question: Why? Why did they construct this city on the water? There is a whole lotta land nearby!
Why build such beauty on the water?
Second question: Stripes & straw hats? Why do the gondoliers (most of them, anyway) wear stripe shirts (mostly dark blue & white)? And what’s with that hat with the ribbon?
Third question: Does anybody really buy any of that Murano crystal? I suppose it’s all about taste which is, or course, a relative thing . . . but really? Some of it, admittedly, is exquisite – but much of it is … (IMO) … just plain gaudy!
Fourth question: Getting back to those gondolas … what’s up with them? The skinniness I understand. They ply very narrow canals so they’ve got to be skinny. But why so l-o-n-g? As you can imagine, they don’t exactly turn on a dime! Why not simple rowboats or canoe-like vessels?
Gondolas . . . sleek, skinny and long … but why??
Fifth question: Do people who live here get sick of it? All those bloody tourists …. (yeah – THEM!) The hassle of getting around. The constant damp. Do they aspire to some day live in the Arizona desert?
Everything about living and doing business in Venice is complicated … laundry at a hotel, for example …
Sixth question: What’s behind all those doors and windows? The flooding at high tide is consistent and legendary. The foundations are sodden, obviously. Almost everything at street level is retail or restaurant – but what’s upstairs? Who owns all this real estate? How much does it cost to live here? What do they do with their trash? What must it be like to live here – actually live here?
What’s behind the green door?
I’ll be back here on Sunday with my group and have planned an unusual walking tour of “hidden Venice.” We’ll get off the beaten track . . . and get as far away from all those bloody tourists as we can – and I intend to get some answers!
So I will leave you this week with the questions. And some photos of the mysterious beauty that is Venice . . .
Love your comments, always … What’s your favorite memory of Venice??
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6 Comments
Karen Gray September 19, 2014 at 2:01pm
Read “The City of Falling Angels” by John Berendt (best know for “Midnight in the Garden of Evil”). Its the story of the great fire that destroyed the famous opera house in Venice but also weaves a tale of what goes behind the doors of the most magnificent villas. Its a wonderful story while you are working on your Venice trip! I always like to take a historic fiction book about my next destination. Enjoy!
Deborah September 19, 2014 at 4:05pm
I love the the stores with the leather gloves. My last visit I had custom ones made.
Diane Bowen September 19, 2014 at 4:45pm
Hi Marilyn: I can hardly wait to read your next blog!! My favorite memory of Venice is going to a meeting in one of the buildings overlooking the Grand Canal. Before we got started they took us out on the balcony to show us the view. Needless to say, no one wanted to come back in and our meeting got started late. I have beautiful pictures from that viewpoint (and the light was perfect)! I love the Murano necklaces, a great Christmas gift!
Bob Franz September 23, 2014 at 7:32pm
Great photos!
LuAnne Center September 24, 2014 at 5:10pm
And the 8th question: Why am I not with you in Venice right now??????
Marilyn September 26, 2014 at 10:32pm
Good question, LuAnne!!! Maybe I’ll create a WOW trip to replicate the one I just operated for an incentive group – including Slovenia and Croatia. It was wonderful!!!!!