How to have fun in Venice
Trip Start
Jun 03, 2008
1
7
23
Trip End
Oct 14, 2008
Where I stayed
Venice,
Italy
Friday, June 20, 2008
Venice is unabashingly touristic around its main attraction, the St Marco square. But I've found that there are at least 3 ways to get to the true flavor of the city, in acsending difficulty.
1. Pass the famous Rialto bridge as you walk away from St. Marco, turn right after a block. Here is the central market of the city, starting with some really neat fish stands under an open dome. More appopriately they should be refered as fish butchers. There are fishes skined, skined and beheaded, chopped,filleted, seagulls pay visits when not noticed to steal the fish gulls and innards left. There are also living and breathing lobster, bags of snails, shellfish, cracked open scallop. They must keep everything hauled out of the sea and assign each a price- on my second visit there were two small sharks on the stand! Pass the glistening fish, you reach the green grocery stands with good value especially towards noon, the clearing time. I ate my little basket of strawberries with satisfaction on the closeby dock, leg dangling over the canal, juice coveniently dripping into the water, that is, until I remember that in the famous Novella Death in Venice the poor artist died from eating overipe strawberries, upon which I discreetly got rid of a few overiping-look berries. Boats of all sorts passed by, DHL delivery, Chrysler brand water taxi, speed boat of local police, water buses loaded with tourists, and of course the gondola, popular despite its heart-shaped red velvet seats.
2. take a waterbus to the neighoring island of Murano, where all the Venetian glass are made. You can see glass makers at work here by straying on the street, but these are not studio of masters, and the quarlity of glasses on sale is comparable to those you will find around St Marco. It's rather an excuse to take theone hour boat ride, enjoy the sea breeze, and have a good, unhurried lunch. My shrimp and rocket (a bitter wild green) pasta was sublime in flavor, and the grilled eel was very rich- I won't need to take omega-3 pills for the rest of the trip. The house was full where I ate, all the tourists in outside tables over the water, and locals inside. Cannot remember the name but it's along the main canal of town, with a big roster sign.
3. If you are really lucky, and find yourself arriving at Venice right after an afternoon storm, make a beeline to St Marco. Not so many people, everyone relaxed, and walk carefully around the small pools of water formed on the squared. The air from sea is warm and moist. Tied gondola rock to the rythm of waves. From its private column, the winged lion appears soaring to the clean sky. Jazz music fills the vast space. On one side a huge board of Federer smiles charmingly in blue shirt and a Rolex. As the evening moves in, a thousand lights start to sparkle , Small crowds form around the stages of competing cafes on the square, each with their own stages of music. Couples pick their favorite and do a little swing. I particularly loved a band of violin, bass and piano that alternated between Jazz and Tango. Several single ladies hang around the same band, mm... guess we women do have a nose of romance.
I have to sing a song about my hotel now, the Casa Vernado. It is 5min from the St Marco square in a quiet corner, with beautiful mosaic floor, rich draping, and super super friendly staff. My room has a window that overlook the cascades of red tile roofs, with a marble church dome thrown in. It is from this window I watched the storm, and the sun later peeking out to the Venisian skyline. I got a big deal on the hotel (yes, price is negotiatable under circumstances), but will happily pay full price to go back next time.
On the food side, I have never before put pizza and gelato in the same food category, but really they are quite similar, cheap, grab to go and tasty. No wonder you will often find the gelatoria and pizzeria next to each other, and eat both to make a meal. And despite being a city on water, staying hydrated in Venice is not cheap. Like elsewhere in Italy, restaurants don't supply tap water, you have to pay for mineral water, or get the house wine for pretty much same price. So save your mineral water bottle, and load up on fountains/standpipes around town. It's drinkable, unless noted otherwise, as guaranteed by the small crowds usually form around them. Oh I had my first bite of pasta cooked in cuttle ink in Venice. Interesting, authentic, sour on a bitter note, not going back again.
Something else I learnt about Venice this time, it is the hometown and lifelong residence of Anthony Vivaldi. He is my favorite composer, mostly because for the longest time my only classical music CD is his Four Season. Venice love her son and celebrate each summer with music concerts arounds town themed with his work. There can be 2 or 3 competing concerts on the same evening, all located in some grand hall and advertised on posters around city. I attended one where the musicians dressed up in period costumes. The ladies looked rather funny in their big skirts, while the white stockings on the gents make rather good looking legs. It was 30 euro, but to be on the front row for an evening of Four Season, quite worthy it.
Dogs in Venice are admirable. They are mostly the sausage type rolling along on short legs, but surprisingly agile in climbing bridges and boarding boats, no owner seems worried at all that their unleashed dog may drop into water and drown- maybe they swim too.
And finally some caution on visiting the basilica of St Marco. No backpack is allowed, they will turn you away at the end of a long wait. There is a cloakroom hidden away in a nearby alley, not at entrance, so ask first before you enter the line to get in. Also keep 50 cents with you to buy the makeshift coverup should you be in shorts or tank tops. In summary, you can wait in line for 15 mins to enter the church, get turned away for your bag, repeat the process for leaving all your money behind and need cover up, and accomplish the entering of St. Marco Balisica in 45 mins under hot sun. Celebrate by a good gaze at the golden mosaic of saints on the dome.
