Venice. . . At Night. . .

Don't get me wrong.  Venice was beautiful in the day time.  During the daytime in Venice, you can lose yourself in the details, in the small stuff, you can stare at Mosaics and Carvings for hours on end, you can stare wistfully out to sea.  At night - it's a little bit different.  I was wary of Venice when we got there, hearing stories of pick pocketers, etc, however when I got there, I actually did feel completely at ease, and not restless and anxious as I normally do in crowded areas.  The ONLY time I was at all uncomfortable was when we were trying to eat lunch, and the waiters were out in front of their restaurants, very aggressively trying to persuade us to go inside their establishment and eat.  At night, the stores light up, and we were lucky enough to see some of the Natale (Christmas) lights come on.  At night, the vendors are still out hocking their goods, but they add glow in the dark, which somehow makes it a little more fun.  At night, you lose sight of the decay, of the dirt, of the trash.

When we got to Venice, it was about noon - by the time we left, it was after 6pm - which was perfect for witnessing a glorious, "typical" Venetian sunset, with hot pink and orange clouds against a pastel blue sky.  The shop lights all came on, and suddenly what was not necessarily so clear in the daytime became outright vibrant at night.

People move a little quicker at night, but as ever, they are stuck in "Venetian" time - which means absolutely nothing compared to real time.  After we disembarked from our Gondola, we asked how far it was back to the parking garage.  We were told it was just a 10 minute walk, so we decided to hoof it, rather than wait and catch another water bus (and save ourselves $28 in fares).  By walking, we were able to see the inside of the islands, away from the canals.  

While we were walking, we noticed that both the shops and the masks they were selling seemed to be getting much more intricate.  You can buy the most amazing masks - some plastic and cheap, the good ones are paper mache, and not cheap. . . but all are beautiful!   This was the one souvenir I allowed myself besides the multitudes of pictures taken - I mean, who can go to Venice and not want a mask of their own?  

We interacted with the merchants (usually trying to bargain with them, without success ...), and we walked, and we walked, and we walked some more.  What was supposedly a 10 minute walk, and after twenty minutes we stopped again and asked - this time we were told it was only a 5 minute walk, and so we kept walking for OVER AN HOUR!  

That was the longest 10 minute walk of my life.  BUT, despite being crazy cold, I don't regret a step of it!  Had we not walked, we would have never have seen any of the inside of the islands, and we would have nothing to complain about!!!  Now, I can appreciate it, and whine at the same time.  

If possible, I would highly suggest taking in Venice at night.  Venice at night, on a warm evening I imagine would be pretty close to perfection.  Be it by Bus, Gondola or foot, it is worth it.  Make the effort - you won't be sorry!

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Venezia, Parte Duo

Basilica di San Marco

After we rode the Water Bus out to Piazza San Marco, we decided to look around for a while on foot.  The first thing we saw up close and personal was the Bridge of Sighs.  As you can imagine, this is one crowded spot!  After being polite and letting many take their pictures, I finally was able to push my tripod and myself up to the edge of the bridge.

Gondolier Under the Bridge of Sighs

I set up my tripod (yes, I am kind of a geek with it lately), and this is what I found.  Though we went in the middle of December, on a FREEZING cold day the crowds were, as always present.  After the bridge of Sighs, we kept walking towards Piazza San Marco.

Basilica di San Marco

When you walk towards the square, immediately your eyes are drawn to the impressive Basilica di San Marco.  Not only is the Cathedral HUGE, but the mosaics, and the marble pillars are astounding.  The colors of marble are almost unreal - I just kept thinking "THIS is what people are always trying to recreate when they paint faux marble," and the faux stuff is nothing compared to the real thing.  These marbles are rare, and to say they are expensive, would be an understatement.  

Entrance to the Basilica di San Marco

The mosaics along the Basilica draw you in, you could spend hours just looking at those alone.  So - in an effort to see the "big picture" I focused on the sheer magnitude of this beautiful Basilica - the home of the Venezian Archdiocese.
That said - the main entrance to the Basilica has a bit of everything - the Byzantine architecture, the awe-inspiring mosaics, and the multiple hues of marble.  This is where you wait in line to enter the Basilica - they ask you not to take pictures, though most tourists ignore the big signs.  I did not.  I figure of all places to disregard the rules, this was NOT the place to push my boundaries.

Inside the Basilica is HUGE.  The domes are gorgeous - however the recent flooding in Venice took its toll, and you can see the high water marks on the pillars throughout the church.  Overall, I was kind of sad in there - here was this major church, arguably one of the most famous and beautiful Catholic Churches, and it was flat out dirty.  It looked to me like it had not been dusted in years.  Like most of Venice, I imagine it was absolutely stunning at one time, and has just fallen into a state of benign neglect.

Torre dell'Orologio

Adjacent to the Basilica di San Marco, is a beautiful Glockenspiel of sorts - it is a clock that not only tells time, but the phases of the moon, and has moving characters - some on the hour, some only on religious holidays.  You can take tours up to the top here, but we did not - the kids were losing their steam fast, and getting hungry, so we sojourned to lunch.  We ate at the Rosso Pomodoro - which is an Italian chain - somewhat similar to Olive Garden - but infinitely better!

After walking around for a bit and eating lunch, we decided that it was time to explore more of Venice, again by foot. . .

Once you leave the main square, things get a bit . . . more tightknit.  The streets are narrow - the shops awnings nearly reach across and touch each other.    Also here, the back channels are smaller.  They are more personal, they are narrow, and they are much more what I consider the "real" Venice.  They are not facades to impress, they are every day life.  They are good times, they are bad times, and they are what history is made of.  It was through wandering through these smaller paths that we came across a Gondolier, packing up to go home for the evening, and willing to make a good deal.


  Normally, from anywhere near Piazza di San Marco you will pay 100 euro and up for just a 20 minute ride - this is NOT the place to catch a Gondola.  Go down the small streets, find someone dropping off another person - more likely than not, they have to go back to wherever their base is anyways, and are more willing to haggle down their prices.  Note that the Gondolas are paid by time, not by distance. . .

That said - price considered - I am so happy that we found our Gondolier, and that we went on the unexpected Gondola ride from just behind Piazza di San Marco all the way out past the Rialto Market.  Our guide was great, he pointed out the famous buildings, he showed us where movies were filmed, "The Tourist" and "007" in particular.  He showed us the birthplace of Marco Polo, and showed us a side of Venice that you just can't see with the Water Bus.  















The other side of Venice is definitely different.  It is dirtier, it is less maintained, it is where you can easily see the havoc that millenia of tidal waters have played on this wonderful city.  You can see what must have been, and what could be again, if one had infinite resources.  But like so much else, the Sea is greedy.  The Sea will claim what she can, and lay waste to the remains.  I feel so lucky that I was able to take my children to venice, to see both sides of the coin, and to appreciate her for what she is.

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Venezia - Part One - The bus ride!

And on we go to Venezia!!!  Perhaps I should apologize for the title - at no time was I ever on an actual bus - we DID however take a water bus throughout Venice.  I should warn you that Venice has been a bucket list kind of place for me for the past five years or so.  The romance, the beauty, the contradiction, all of it.  Finally, I got my chance, and talked my most wonderful personal tour guide, Zia Heatherina, into going with us for the day up to Venezia.  This is a big city - in expectation, and in reality.  Venice is so big, in fact, that I am going to break this down into three parts - the bus ride, walking and the gondola ride, and finally, Venice at night.  I have SO MANY amazing photographs, it is hard to choose the best of them, and so hard to post without going completely overboard.

Houses on the Grand Canal
(c) 2012 The Wandering Mama

We all grow up hearing how Venice is sinking - we grow up hearing that the water is dirty, and yet the romance of it all overcomes that.  The romance of Venice makes us willing to put up with insane crowds, and constant flooding.  We tolerate the pushy waiters, and the hustlers just to be a part of it all.  For that moment, we have made it, for that moment, we are in Venice.  We can travel back to the renaissance, and see the works of the masters.  We can visit the museos, and be stunned by works of art that previously we have only read about in school text books.  For that moment, we are a part of history, we are living not only our dreams, but the dreams of those who have always wanted to, but never will get to see it in person.

Santa Maria della Salute
(c) 2012 The Wandering Mama

We started our day out on the water bus - you can take it one way from the parking plaza out to San Marcos Square for 7 euro per person.  There are other ways out there - but this will take you down the Grand Canal, and stop about 20 times along the way.  As we travel around Italy, I always have my kindle with me - and on it, i have a few different tour books, so that surely wherever I am is covered by someone.  I have found that this is a great way to travel.  Second only to having a private tour guide.

The Ponte Rialto (Rialto Bridge)
(c) 2012 The Wandering Mama

One of the many stops along the water bus route, is the Rialto Market - the old fish market.  Adjacent to this market is the famous Ponte Rialto (Rialto Bridge).  This was one of the places I had always heard about, and really wanted to see.  Unfortunately, as our boat rounded the bend, we saw it.  Yes, we can imagine the glory it once had, but sadly today, as you can see, it is covered with Graffiti.  As our Gondolier later told us, though Graffiti is rampant, it is not a Venetian thing, and real venetians treat it not only as breaking the law, but as a crime against Venice herself.  So sad that such beauty and history is marred by a bunch of idiots with a spray can.

Piazza San Marco (W)
(c) 2012 The Wandering Mama

Piazza San Marco (E)
(c) 2012 The Wandering Mama

A few minutes later you arrive at San Marcos Square.  While there is a round trip tour you can take, it will cost you 28 euro per person, and really accomplishes the same thing as the one way ticket, for 1/2 the price, literally.  Yes, you do miss out on someone blethering in your ear all the time, for the most part about places you don't care about, or have never heard of, but you do get there.


The final sight you really see when you reach the second Piazza San Marco bus stop (and final stop for the one way ticket) are the Bridge of Sighs.  This was the bridge that the prisoners were brought over for their final views of their beloved Venezia, before being taken away to prison.  It's a tiny little bridge, high above the water, but so beautiful, and so strong with emotion.  I can't imagine what it must have felt like to see your city for one final time, knowing you would never see your loved ones, or your city again. . .

The Bridge of Sighs as Seen from the Water
(c) 2012 The Wandering Mama

Venice is a funny place.  At the time I was there, I was excited, I was expectant, I was thankful for the experience, I was sad at the state of things there, and I walked away thinking "Ok, cool, been there, done that, don't feel the need to go back" - but as I sit here writing about it, I find myself romanticizing it already, and scheming on how to go back.  I can't explain it - perhaps that is part of the dichotomy of Venice.  So beautiful, yet so ugly; so loved, yet so neglected, etc, etc, etc.

Stay tuned for the next part of our Venetian Adventure!

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