Europe 2011: Day 14 – Another Day in Venice

We enjoyed breakfast this morning with a couple from Toronto and another couple from England. The host was there with us and gave us a brief history of this place plus some more recommendations on more things to do in Venice. Constructed in the early 1800s, this house is actually one of the newer buildings in town. I guess your perspective on what’s “new” changes when your city has been around for 1500 years. Anyway, this house was built on what used to a gondola construction site.

So, off we headed to St. Mark’s Square or The Piazza San Marco, as they say around here. This historic square, surrounded by beautiful buildings, is the size of two football fields (only Americans compare everything to the size of a football field. Nobody ever compares things to the size of a tennis court or a bowling alley, for example). The square is filled with music, tourists, and friendly pigeons. Especially in the evening, the plaza becomes a magnificent dance floor as various string quartets perform for couples twirling across ancient pavement. Napoleon once called the piazza “the most beautiful drawing room in Europe.” It is truly a highlight for us!

Then, it was off the Ca’ Rezzonico (Museum of 18^th century Venice). This palazzo, or palace, is on the Grand Canal and provides a great peak into the live of Venice’s rich and famous. It’s hard to believe that this was actually a family home! It was more like entering the St. Louis Art Museum and calling it “home” – can you imagine? Every room was spectacular and had a story to tell. From inlaid mother-of-pearl wooden furniture to ornately frescoed ceilings painted by Tiepolo, this palace revealed the immense wealth of Venetian aristocrats in the 1700s. A mere 50 years after the palace was completed, it began falling into disrepair because the family was gone with no one left to maintain it. Like God tells us, “Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, cease from your consideration of it. When you set your eyes on it, it is gone. For wealth certainly makes itself wings like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.” (NASB Proverbs 23:4-5)

On the way back, we stopped by a stand and got some gelato, which is really good ice-cream!

A word about Venice: There are about 60,000 residents in Venice today, half of what it was 30 years ago. Of those who stay, 25% are 65 or older. It would be difficult to raise a family here. Apartments are small and expensive (a 1,000 sq. ft. a studio apartment can cost up to a million dollars). The humidity and occasional flooding can make walking difficult. Home improvements require enormous amounts of red tape, following regulations intended to preserve the historical ambience. Everything is expensive because it has to be shipped in from the mainland. Basic things like grocery shopping can be tricky because it involves a lot of walking and stairs – imagine crossing over arched bridges while pushing a stroller and carrying groceries. It’s easy to see why people are leaving at a rate of a thousand a year. The economy itself is thriving, thanks to tourism and rich foreigners buying second homes here. But, sadly, even hopeful planners worry that in a few decades, Venice won’t be a city at all, but will become a museum or a cultural theme park. We hope not. We simply love Venice.

We had some delicious pizza for dinner tonight! Afterwards, although it was a little chilly, we enjoyed a long evening stroll along canals, dark and quiet alleys, and noisy pedestrian streets. From the smells of fresh fish to the aroma of baking pizza or pastries, Venice is a city that keeps you thankful for all of your God given senses!

St. Mark's Square - tower and part of cathedral

It is difficult to grasp the size of this square in a photo