Venezia, Italia (Venice, Italy)

Days six through eight of our trip were spent in Venice. We took another delightful Eurostar train trip from Florence to Venice, passing through numerous mountains and tunnels along the way and then into flatter land as we approached Padua, the coast, and then Venice itself. Perhaps all of you have a good sense of how Venice is placed geographically, but I certainly did not. I had always imagined the city as flowing out from the coast. In other words, I imagined being able to drive up to the edge of the city and then having to rely on boats or gondolas for travel through the city as you extended away from the coast. However, Venice is actually completely away from the coast in a lagoon. There is a causeway that vehicles and the train use to reach the city. There is some limited parking there for the vehicles, and then transportation throughout the city consists entirely of water craft, even for construction workers, utility services, and the like. This can all be seen well by looking at aerial shots found at a PBS website (click here) related to the NOVA program. Once you get to the website, click on "Venice Under Siege" and then click on "Venice Under Siege" once again to select from three different aerial shots showing the entire region, the lagoon, or the city. The lagoon choice shows the causeway quite well, the Grand Canal (the one that snakes in a southerly direction through the city), and the Giudecca Canal (the larger one that runs west to east). Of course, this website also gives interesting information about the sinking of the city, the floods it has to regularly tolerate, and prospects for the future. While we were there, there was no flooding, thank goodness. Those who established the city were attempting to flee from invaders in northern Italy (6th century AD). Over time, they drove millions of wooden pilings into the lagoon in order to establish the city.

Literally just outside the Venice train station, we boarded our first boat. They have a system of boats that run much like a city bus system from stop to stop. Our very first view of the Grand Canal as we departed from the train station is just below. It was amazing to be in a city that has no wheeled vehicular traffic and companion sounds.


Venice has appeared in so many movies, and some of the architecture really brought that back to me. I couldn't help but think of James Bond movies and others, as I looked at some of the buildings. The one below, for example, is particularly characteristic of architecture in Venice and did seem familiar somehow, maybe from some movie I saw at one time or another. All of the buildings and walks come literally to the edge of the canals.


In addition to the Grand Canal and the Giudecca Canal, there are numerous smaller canals (think of side streets) that wind their way throughout the city. There are many bridges that make it possible to walk the entire city. In the shot below, a gondola is passing through one of the smaller canals. One of our first meals was in a restaurant whose side wall was adjacent to such a canal. We sat by a table with a window looking out on the canal and watched gondolas passing by. At one point, a gondoleer came right to my window and gestured for me to open it, which I did. He then began to call to one of the restaurant waiters to bring him a beer, which the waiter did. I got the impression that this particular gondoleer was a regular and that this scene occurred frequently. It seemed to impress the passengers in the gondola. By the way, we never chose to do a gondola ride. Something for another trip, perhaps.


On our first full day in the city, we boarded one of the regular boats and traveled out to Murano, which is a part of Venice on an island somewhat separated from the main city. Centuries ago, the many glass blowers in Venice were moved to Murano, because they were creating fire and odor problems in the city. There are many fine glass blowers and shops in Murano, and they make some incredible pieces--art works as well as fine serving pieces, such as wine glasses and decanters. We watched a demonstration by the glass blower you see below and then did some shopping. We bought the piece pictured here, which now sits in our front living room window. It is quite beautiful we think. One is obligated to negotiate the prices of such pieces. If you are interested in the details, please ask us for the story sometime. Suffice it to say that we ended up paying only 1/6 of the price originally quoted to us!



On another day, we visited the Accademia museum, which contains an amazing collection of paintings, coins, and sculptures. We would have liked to tour the Peggy Guggenheim Collection as well, which contains modern art collected by Ms. Guggenheim, who once lived in the city. However, the museum was closed that day, so we took a boat further up the Grand Canal to the Rialto Bridge, which spans the canal in the commercial heart of the city. It is quite picturesque. Here are Kathie and I on that bridge followed by a picture looking back at the bridge itself and another looking down the canal from the bridge.




We stayed in a very nice hotel near the Piazza San Marco, which is just east of the south end of the Grand Canal. This piazza is perhaps the main public gathering place in the city and is the site of the grand Basilica di San Marco and the Palazzo Ducale (palace of the Doge, the original rulers of the city). We toured both of these magnificent buildings and also enjoyed some of the night life, music, and people watching in the piazza. Below is a shot looking back toward the Piazza, the Basilica, and the Palazzo. The high tower is a Campanile and clock tower. The domes of the Basilica are clearly visible, and the Palazzo is in the foreground of the Basilica nearer the water. By the way, the Piazza is one of the areas most affected by flooding when it occurs. The floor of the Basilica is very wavy and uneven from the settling and sinking that continues to occur. Nevertheless, Venice simply is one of the most unique cities in the world. It is both beautiful and fascinating.