A black gondola glides over the greenish water. The tail fin has a distinctive insignia- 6 flat strips stick out for each of the 6 districts. The oarsman is dressed in an impeccable white shirt and black trousers. He gives a little kick to the walls of the building that he passes by to keep the gondola on track. Sometimes, he yells to the oarsman on the next gondola as a water-sign (like hand-signs on the road). At times, he shares a joke aloud. He suddenly breaks into a full throated song for the occupants. The boat is momentarily bathed in the shadow of the charming bridge it passes under only to emerge gleaming in the sun. The houses on either side of the narrow "water street" are from a different age- moss covered legs, varied shades of yellow ochre and brown and small balconies overflowing with scarlet flowers. As the gondola emerges from the water street and makes a turn onto the "Grand Canal", we can see the characteristic white dome of the "Salute" (salu-tey) church to the right and towering, brown church tower (companile) of the Basilica of St Mark to the left.
It is Venice. It is magical!
We took a bus from Mestre (Bus number 12) to the last point where vehicles can reach- Piazza Le Roma. From here, we took a boat (vaporetti) to get to San Marco.
Essentially, Venice is about San Marco.
What to see at San Marco:
It has three main attractions:
1. Doge's (Duke's) Palace or Palazzo Ducale.
2. San Marco Basilica and church tower (Campanile)
3. St Mark's Square.
Doge's Palace:
Doge's palace has a white, impressive, marble facade. The interiors can be divided into 3 sections:
1, Set of rooms used by the Doge.
2. Collection of arms.
3. Prisons and the Bridge of Sighs.
Duke rooms: Similar to the ones at Versailles in a general sense. However, the paintings on the ceilings and walls are more impressive. You can find works of several artists. Amongst them, Veronese needs to be mentioned. He is the artist whose gigantic work on Christ's first miracle is present at the Louvre in the same hall as the Mona Lisa. Another prominent work is "Paradise" by Torrentino.This is the biggest canvas painting in oils in the world. Here, Christ and Mary are at the center with more human beings than you can imagine around them. Paradise is a crowded place all right! It's hard to believe that there are so many good people to find a place in paradise!
Coat of arms: It is a section that I typically skip in most museums- a collection of swords, shields, head gear, bows and a variety of rifles dating to the sixteenth century. Some of these arms are huge. It would take a diet outside the domain of curd-rice to even pick them up!
Prison cells: These are stone chambers- about 8 ft by 6 ft (fairly big for one person). It's about the size of a studio apartment. The openings are grilled. We have no idea what torture the inmates in these cells had to endure. Casanova was one of the prominent prisoners held in these cells for conspiring against the state (not for the other reason that he is better known for!). As we pass these prisons, I cannot help but hum- Stone walls do not a prison make, nor iron walls a cage!
It is fitting that one of the paintings in the last room leading to these prisons is titled Hell! This work looks like a pictorial representation of all the punishments in hell compiled in the Garuda Purana! (Another research topic!)
We wonder why the prison cells are so close to the official, lavishly decorated rooms of the Duke. However hard-hearted you are, it must surely be a dampener to share a wall or even a bridge with the dregs of human society!
The Bridge of Sighs is a narrow bridge which connects these two sections. We are told that a prisoner would sign as he went over the bridge- to leave all his freedom behind.
However, we went over the bridge in the reverse direction- from the prison cells back to the Duke rooms so that we could heave a sigh of relief!
San Marco's Basilica:
San Marco is St. Mark. His remains are interred in the Basilica and hence the name. It's not as if he died here. His remains were brought from Alexandria. The church has whitish, onion-shaped domes. The interiors have a golden tinge coming from the golden mosaic which adorns its walls. Unlike the Notre Dame, there are no glass windows here. Several "gothic" style paintings all around.
You can go to the top of the church tower for 8 Euros. Too expensive.
St Mark's Piazza/Square:
It is a huge, open compound which houses the above attractions. Lively crowd all the time. Shops and museums line the courtyard. Savouring an ice-cream (gelato) is a must. Don't go for the "lemon flavour". It is hideous. I made the mistake and was an object of laughter and ridicule that of the 20 flavours, I had to select a lemon! There are as many pigeons as people on this square. They have no fear and eat out of people's hands.
The afternoon was spent on the "Discover Venice" guided walk tour followed by the gondola ride.
Lots of interesting tidbits thrown by the guide Federika made this walk tour worthwhile.
- The 2 churches referred above were built for protection after two separate incidents of bubonic plague.
- Venice is shaped like a fish: 3 districts on one side and 3 districts on the other.
- Islands are man-made with wooden piles which solidified to give a rock-like base.
- Venice has a problem of flooding.
- No vehicles in Venice. You have to walk or take the boat.
- Houses have a courtyard with a cistern at the center. It is filled with rain water and serves as a well. All the other water is salt water. The courtyard sometimes houses a church which is special to the family.
- Salt water is corrosive. Hence, everything has to be regularly washed with fresh water.
- Nothing apart from tourism in Venice. Everything comes from the mainland.
- Murano island (off Venice) is well known for glass making and Burrano island for lace.
- Venetian blinds don't have anything to do with Venice!
- Rialto bridge over the Grand Canal was the entry point for all people into Venice.
- Gondolas are only black in color because they were used to ferry the bodies during the bubonic plague.
Our memory will forget these details soon. But the images will endure. That's enough !
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