Venice Fog

Went for an early walk this morning and a light fog had settled over the city. Started out on Via Garibaldi.

Crossed near the Bridge of Sighs.

Then to Saint Mark's Square.

Here's a wider view of the Square.

A little early for a gondola ride.

Passengers will arrive in just a few hours.

No cars in Venice, but certainly parallel parking.

Ah! A ghostly apparition of a gondolier.

Looking down a narrow canal.

And a wider one.

And the Grand Canal.

Back to traveling tomorrow, this time cruising the Eastern Mediterranean. Again am not sure if or when I'll have internet access or time for posting. However, I'll be taking pictures and hopefully will have them posted sometime in May. Grazie for reading and...

Ciao.















East Venice Neighborhoods

The main "island" of Venice is actually some 118 islands connected by footbridges. People generally arrive on the west side, either by sea or by crossing a long bridge in a train or other vehicle. Cars, trucks and trains go no further than the western edge. As a result, the crowds are heavy near the bus and train stations, and remain heavy going eastward along the Grand Canal, all the way to Saint Mark's Square. Between Saint Mark's and the more eastern section of Castello where I'm staying, there are seven footbridges over canals. The first one becomes almost impassable at midday, as people vie for views of the Bridge of Sighs. The second and third also are very busy, but then the foot traffic starts to taper off, and by the time one crosses bridge number seven to reach Via Garibaldi, the danger of being swept away by massive tour groups is greatly diminished. Still further east is Sant' Elena, which is actually a part of Castello.
This post leaves behind the crowds to provide a glimpse of eastern Castello, a more residential part of Venice. However, it's not all residential. Close by where I'm staying is Arsenale, Venice's historic shipbuilding complex, started some nine centuries ago. It was the largest industrial complex anywhere before the industrial revolution. While its history of military might is long past, it still has an imposing main entrance.

Here's a closer view.

The Arsenale is just over a canal from the end of my alley. Going in that direction and then turning left to walk along the canal, one encounters this corner enterprise.

The local chapter of the Italian Communist Party. There appeared to be some type of social(ist?) event going on when I first noticed it. I snapped this picture, then had second thoughts, but decided my red day pack and Red Sox cap probably muddled any assumptions about where my sympathies might lie. Here's a second picture taken later. There's a Che Guevara poster inside, and there's also a nice shrine on the front wall. It may be that religious, social and political lines are drawn quite differently here than in the U.S.

Looking down on that same canal, a delivery boat is passing by.

Note, in the picture below, the fellow pushing a metal cart. There is a distinct and pleasant silence along most walkways due to the absence of cars, trucks and buses... and garbage trucks. When one does hear a loud rattling noise along one's alley, there's a good chance it's a trash pickup cart like the one this fellow is commandeering. People set out their trash in small plastic bags (no room for trash cans), and workers pass by picking up the neighborhood. Once the metal cart is full, the trash is transferred onto a canal barge for removal.

Moving east toward Sant' Elena, one sees a rare sight in much of Venice: trees!

And where there are parks, there are bound to be statues. Not sure who this is, but where other than Venice would the subject be astride a lion?

Looking back, it's about a mile to Saint Mark's.

In the Sant' Elena neighborhoods the absence of vehicle noise is even more noticeable. One can hear another person's footsteps a block away. There are some pretty buildings here.

 Many decorate the outside of their homes with flowers.

A corner fruit and vegetable stand.

One probably would not want to stay this far out without a vaporetto pass, as it's a good trek to get to many of the tourist destinations. However, to see where many locals live and to escape the crowds, Sant' Elena is a nice place for a walk. Finally, people are not the only ones to enjoy the tranquility of this end of Venice.

  Ciao.

A Very Brief History of Venice

Venice was just a lagoon but in the Fifth Century invaders from the north caused people from the nearby mainland to flee to a place where ship-less Huns were not likely to attack and by the Eighth Century Venice had an elected government and soon was strong enough to repel Charlemagne and in 828 acquired relics of Saint Mark (symbol: Lion)

for its basilica and over the next few centuries became a center of trade (Marco Polo et al.) and a military power, dominating the seas, assisting in crusades and generally having its way until about the Fifteenth Century when things started going downhill (a figure of speech, as lagoons tend not to be hilly), not only with other countries opening new sea routes but also a reoccurrence of the Black Death and finally with Napoleon showing up in 1797, ending over a thousand years of Venetian independence; however, in the following century after a lengthy Austrian occupation Venice regained its independence and became part of modern Italy, but not before becoming popular as a tourist destination and if global warming gets out of hand it may well go back to being just a lagoon.
Ciao.

Venice Mix

Today I picked up a Venice Chorus pass, which provides access to fifteen churches where much of the city's fine art is being preserved or restored. One also gets to enjoy weaving through the maze that is Venice in search of each church. As taking interior photos is discouraged, for this post I've decided to just include a mix of pictures from walking about the city. First, like most Venetians, I'm residing down an alley. This one is in the Castello section. My rooms are up one floor, on the left, where one can see the open shutters towards the end of the alley.

In Saint Mark's Square there are some interesting vendors; this one sells fine glasswork.

Here's a closer look in one of the windows.

And another one.

Across the piazza, by the canal, one may wonder, just how close do those large cruise ships pass by Saint Mark's Square? This close.

One can imagine, on those occasions when the canal water rises up and flows into the Square (note the portable walkways stored in the middle), larger vessels probably send wakes across the flooded piazza. There is controversy about the impact of large ships, for undoubtedly their wakes take a toll on preservation efforts. No surprise if the ship lanes change in the future.
There is a delightful Italian movie called Pane e tulipani or Bread and Tulips, much of which takes place in Venice. On impulse, a woman who is separated from her family on vacation ends up in Venice, and cannot quite bring herself to leave. When her not-overly-understanding husband sends a very amateur detective to find her, she meets the detective briefly in a small campo before running away again. The campo is in a very out-of-the-way section of Venice, through a maze of alleys. Here is Campo Do Pozzi.

On the campo there's a nice small bar where one can go for a coffee and pastry in the morning.

Back to one of the most popular attractions in Venice, the Rialto Bridge, spanning the Grand Canal.

By looking under the bridge one can get a sense of its actual width, with crowds crossing over the middle and far side as well.
Back in my Castello neighborhood, one can walk a short distance and cross one of two bridges onto the island of San Pietro di Castello (formerly Olivo), which was one of Venice's original settlements, going back at least to the Sixth Century. Here was located Venice's first cathedral. In more recent centuries it has been home to the Church of San Pietro di Castello.

The church has a separate bell tower, another one of Venice's leaning towers.

In a neighborhood on the island, a window was open so a winged resident could enjoy the fresh air (look carefully).

A bit further along was a wall shrine.

Took a different return route that included a nice campo on wash day.

Of course, a serious clothesline can span an entire canal.

In a nearby alley came upon this unique door. The upper sign may be translated as "Genius at work. Do not disturb." Probably best to not knock.

Finally, back to my alley, with this picture from the apartment window.

Ciao.

Early Morning in Venice

Was out early this morning, enjoying Venice before the crowds arrived. There were few people about and it was pleasantly quiet.

Passed the Hotel Danieli, a Venice landmark, interesting on the outside and quite luxurious within.

And a more famous landmark, the Bridge of Sighs, connecting the Doges Palace with the prison.

Looking toward the Grand Canal from Saint Mark's Square.

A very quiet and peaceful Saint Mark's Square.

The Clock Tower had not yet struck seven.

A closer look at the time.

Some of the exterior detail of Saint Mark's Church, including the four horses.

Another view.

And a closer one.

Although the canal water level was a few feet lower than the Square, the sea has a way of rising. Thus, portable walkways sit ready to be assembled in front of the Church.

Between where I'm staying in the Castello section and Saint Mark's, looking down a canal one sees the leaning church tower of San Giorgio dei Greci. (or perhaps this is a poorly aligned picture of a straight church tower in a tilting neighborhood)

While graffiti pollutes many neighborhoods in the U.S. and Italy, here one occasionally stumbles across thought-provoking political or humanitarian statements. The crowds of Venice span the very rich to the very poor, and many of the latter beg or vend their wares along the walkways and bridges. This directional sign caught my attention.

By now the morning sun was shining in Castello.

Finally, one more glimpse of Saint Mark's Square, only this time early afternoon.

Ciao.