Venice

Venice

"Now. The rubbish" said our Airbnb host when we checked in.
"We know. We take it to the street corner" said the seasoned travelers that we are.
"Ahh.. Not street corner. Rubbish goes to a boat"
Of course. We're in Venice. Everything goes in a boat. People, parcels, freight, and rubbish. There is even an ambulance boat.

Venice is as beautiful, charming and atmospheric as it's claimed. It is not as dirty as we were warned, and the canals are not stinky. Venetians are more aloof, and not helpful. Athough they will give information and directions, they will not go out of their way. There is an abruptness in their manner that can be mistaken for arrogance or rudeness. I'm not sure if they are actually so. I think that it is just having to cope with the challenges of their everyday lives. For a start, twice in 24 hours, the tide rises, and very often it causes a flood. Our walking tour group were horrified at the thought of being flooded quite so regularly, but the guide brushed it off as just another day in Venice. Doorways on the ground floor are fitted with special metal sheets that slot in front of the door, and pumps are activated when water levels rise, and walking platforms are always on hand in case the path in flooded.

Venice is expensive. Restaurants have a 12% service charge and €4 per head seating fee (coperto). Our experiences in the other towns was a flat €2-€4 coperto per head with no extra service fee. One way to get around that is to have cicchettis standing at the bar, or at the counter. Cicchettis are little tapas like food. There are displayed and one just points to yummy stuffed squids, fried anchovies, fish and meat balls, etc. Everthing is costly. Many churches even charge an entrance fee of €4, and then one still has to put that €2 in the machine to light the artworks. We got around this by going just before mass times when the entrance is free and some of the church is lit. This has to be timed just so if we don't want to stay for mass, but just want a quick walk around the church and surreptitiously exit before mass starts. We have sometimes entered quietly mid mass, but then we feel committed to stay till the end of mass, and do the quick walk around after. However busy or noisy the outside is, it's always quiet, and there's a stillness once the door of the church is shut behind you. So we soak in that for the rest of mass. In Bologna, there was a lovely solo by a Benedictine monk during communion, and it was heavenly.

We were fortunate to be here in Venice on the first Sunday of the month when there is free entry to the Galleria Academia, the art gallery. We also chanced upon a free organ and choral concert at one of the churches after our 4.5 hour walking tour. These free (by donation) walking tours are a wonderful introduction to any city or town. We have done many in Spain, Australia, and now Italy, and have thoroughly enjoyed, and been informed by, every single one.

Venice. It's really captured my heart. I love the windy streets, I love crossing the hundreds of bridges, I love the getting lost amongst it all, I love that I have a few more days here.Read more