Last weekend my friend Soha and I traveled for a weekend get-away to Venice, Italy. We wanted to experience Carnevale di Venezia which is a festival that happens every year since 1162 and spans about three weeks every winter leading up to the beginning of Lent. It is a bit like Mardi Gras in New Orleans in that celebrations and events take over the whole city and people take to the streets in special attire. A large portion of people were at least wearing masks and many wore costumes, some very elaborate. Multiple masquerade balls were thrown nightly. Some were special invite only but others could be accessed with the purchase of a ticket. Tickets ranged from 50euros to 1000euros for these parties.
Venice is known for its streets made of water. Indeed, we did not see a single car when we were in the center of town. The streets are narrow and made for pedestrians. One must take a boat to get around if one is not walking. Bikes are not very popular either. Walkways shrink in width often and at nearly every turn there is a bridge to cross a canal and there are steps required to cross the bridges. I saw a few parents with strollers and it looked to be a mission to wheel them around.
We of course took a gondola ride. The gondola is a very tranquil way to travel but if you are in a rush, motorized taxi boats are available. Venice is very much a tourist town. Restaurant and shop owners encourage you to come in but that is part of the fun of travel. We were able to enjoy an authentic Venetian meal at a local restaurant recommended by our hotel. And no, it wasn't pasta, it was sea bass. Venice is in the middle of the water after all. It was delizioso!
One thing we saw a lot of in the shops was Murano glass. Venetian glass has been famous for centuries and Murano glass is by far the most popular. Murano is an island easily accessible from the heart of Venice where this glass is crafted. Products of Murano glass come in all shapes and sizes from dainty glass beads to glorious chandeliers. The most popular design pattern is Murrine which is a multi-colored speckled pattern that comes from layering different colors of molten glass on top of each other to make canes which are then cut in a cross section to form disks that look almost like candy. These are then heated and molded into dishes, bowels, pendants and a variety of other crafts.
Saturday night we went to an opera. We saw a sight-specific production of La Traviata. It was performed in a palace and broken into three acts. Each act was performed in a different room in the palace and at each intermission the audience was escorted to the new room and given champagne along the way. My kinda show!
Sunday involved more sight-seeing. We took a motor boat ride around Venice and visited the Doge's Palace. The Doge of Venice is kind of like the Mayor of Venice. He is the chief government official of the city and the Doge's Palace is the seat of government. But this isn't just your average city hall. Venice has a rich history of being a major player in the leadership of Italy and Europe. Historically, the Doge has been a very powerful position. The Palace is a reflection of the wealth and influence of Venice. It is an architectural wonder and the most opulent "city hall" I have ever seen.
If you ever get the chance to go to Venice, go! It is a magical city worth seeing. And if you only have the English language in your catalogue of communication, no worries, every merchant, waiter and desk clerk seemed to have a fine grasp of English. With so many tourists, I imagine it is a necessity.
Coming up this week we open one of my projects, 8Squared: A Night of New Writing. If you are in London, come on down to Central Wednesday, Thursday or Friday evening and see what our emerging playwrights have been cooking. It's free!
In the meantime, enjoy a play, film or television show set in Venice. There are hundreds to choose from. Everything from Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice to a season five episode of Dr. Who called "Vampires of Venice"!
Take care!
-m
One very well accessorized costume.
Ready for the masquerade ball.
Coffee break at a cafe. It ain't Starbucks!
The "streets" of Venice.
Didn't pack your mask? You can get one just outside St. Mark's Basilica.
In the courtyard of the Doge's Palace.
With no buses or trains, public transport is offered by boat. The cube with the yellow stripes is a "bus" stop.
The view from our hotel window on a foggy Sunday morning.
Murano glass in the Murrine pattern.
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