Saturday 8 November 2014

Venezia!

Venice is the floating, sinking city. So you might want to find your way over there before it becomes a modern day Atlantis. This was the second time i had the privilege of visiting Venice. And before both visits i was warned of the odor the city is known for. There was none. It was winter during both visits and maybe that's why there was no special 'smell' that everyone was talking about. So if you don't like your cities to smell then perhaps visit in winter.

The other thing about Venice is the birds. The Giant mutant birds that dominate St Mark's square. Walk through that square with food  and prepare to be attacked. I'm speaking from experience here.

When you step out of the train station it's like a completely different world. A water world filled with Canal after canal, arching bridges, little (and expensive) cafes by the waters edge and gondolas, everywhere.  It's stunning. i could spend a lifetimes exploring all the little alleyways and hidden canals and never tire of it.


Like most places throughout Italy there are souvenir shops in abundance, in Venice, Venetian masks and Venetian glass ( murano glass) is the top stocked items. The sheer amount of them and the different kinds makes choosing a mask or a piece of Venetian glass almost impossible. So you may follow my path and just buy a suitcase full of everything that caught your eye. 
This may sound a little pretentious, however i love wearing one one of my Venetian glass necklaces or masks if i'm going to a fancy dress and being able to say "i got it in Venice" when asked. They are great mementos and lovely little talking pieces that can instantly take you back to your memories of this amazing city.


The other thing about Venice in the winter/later seasons is that the city has a slight tendency to flood and become completely covered in water, sometimes waist deep. So they have these platforms stacked up all over the city in case it does flood and they become raised walkways. This was the same during both of my visits, however this latest time the platforms had been tagged with these sayings; "You have never respected water, why should she respect you?" There were a few different ones in English and Italian in some kind of protest against tourism? the residents? the government? i have no idea, but they were pretty cool.   


If you have the time i would highly recommend seeing a glass blowing demonstration for the Venetian glass, it is an incredible sight to witness. 

Venice is probably one of the places i am most dying to get back to.