One AMONG MANY

A love affair with the Gondola:

….And the gondolier began singing. He sang a song floating from as far as the coast of Naples. This timeless lyric glided through the Venetian canals, brewed emotions hidden and exposed. Our fabulous gondolier stood on the deck and rowed his gondola manoeuvring an oar with great alertness. In between he kicked the crumbled old walls of the building with his heels. This act kept his gondola at a safe distance t from the walls of the buildings on either side of the canal. Look up to admire the windows displaying an array of colourful flowers, which are taken well care of by the families living a pleasant life atop the liquid surface. Look down and see the calm water fondled by the romantic gondolas.

_{Ma n’atu sole
cchiù bello, oje ne’.
O sole mio
sta ‘nfronte a te!
O sole
O sole mio
sta ‘nfronte a te!
sta ‘nfronte a te!}

_{Ma n’atu sole
cchiù bello, oje ne’.
O sole mio
sta ‘nfronte a te!
O sole
O sole mio
sta ‘nfronte a te!
sta ‘nfronte a te!}

….. And the gondolier continued singing the sunshine song…..

…….And sitting on his gondola I allowed the Venetian sun to flicker and sprinkle its gilded beam upon my face, smiling incessantly at a romance called VENICE…….

Beyond the ballet of gliding gondolas and the ballad of the Doges – Venice – stands witness to maritime evolution through its profound olden times and wealthy culture. Beneath the floating city and within its century-old walls, The Serenissimo (most serene) holds the flavour and foundation of more and more love and unceasing resilience despite the mayhem that shaped its existence as the world’s one of the most enticing cities. This sentiment, they not only share amongst the denizens themselves but also shower upon the visitors coming here from the far-off corners of the world.

Venetia saw turmoil as early as the 5th century, when the barbarians made the Venetians flee the danger, taking refuge in nearby islands that stood by them in their time of need. Lido was one such retreat and still continues to be a tranquil home to many Venetians far from the touristy Venice.

But they got their old dwellings back when danger was past. Uproars such as these and many more, including the most recent 19th-century Venetian Renaissance, sequinned its 1500-year-old history. But this charming lagoon, through every thick and thin, stood the test of time, relishing the saltiness of the Adriatic.

Apart from Lido, the quaint islands of Burano and Murano bragging about their fishing occupation, simultaneously weaving the intricate patterns of lace and the stunning blown glass creations, respectively, have sheltered the lace weavers and glass makers into these remote islands with great pride, keeping the trade secrets of the artisans alive to this day.

The Campo: St. Marco’s Square

Piazza San Marco or St. Mark’s Square is Venice’s bustling square. At the end of the square to the east, facing the west rises St. Mark’s Basilica with all its Romanesque glory. The St. Mark’s clock tower stands tall ahead of the Basilica. Ambling through this hub of Venezia, I allowed myself through the history, Gothic architecture of the Doges Palace, the hair-raising experience at Bridge of Sighs, where the sigh of the prisoners admiring the beauty of Venice the one last time still echoes in the stillness of the Venetian nights.

Through the euphony of the elated tourists, my palate to head to explore the gastronomical taverns. They are those eat-and-drink joints that make Venice even more vivacious not only during the day but even until late at night.

Beyond history, Venice is a story of passion: lived, felt and consumed at every step.

Be it the ponte (bridge) connecting one part of the city to the other, a narrow calle (alleyway) meandering to meet another calle, or the slender rii (canals) on top of which the ponti (bridges) hangs in the elaboration to its significance to not only connect the campo (town square) awaiting to be strolled through but also warmly unites emotion genuinely soaked in an amiable smile of a jaunty Venetian.

A tale of love floating afar: The Island of Burano

The colourful homes of Burano narrate a vibrant tale of man-sea dependence, artistic finesse and the “I shall wait for you to return to me” parables.

The island women await their men for the whole day, while the vibrantly painted dwellings make the return cheery even from a great distance. Each house painted in a unique colour is different from the other just to help the weary fisherman locate their home easily from afar. The shades of the exterior walls scream to them their address while keeping their memories refreshed.

The women weaved not only new nets but also repaired the old torn ones with rudimental needles and thick threads. Then when the job was done, they spent the rest of the day not idly but artistically enough to create impressive lace work renowned as the Burano lacework.

This place has a love tale entwined just like the baroque lacework, which from the sea through the lagoons finally reached this Venetian island. A romantic legend has it that the Queen of Mermaids pleased by a fisherman’s true love for his beautiful girlfriend who lived in Burano, gifted him a bride veil made of sea foam. Many women and girls who knew the fisherman’s beloved coveted this fairylike veil. This desire made them twist and turn thin needles and thread to knit fine lace thus giving birth to the tradition of this timeless lace weaving, and the lore continues to sustain today’s commercial reality.

The transparency of diligence: The Island of Murano

Go back in history to as early as the 13^th century when the glass furnace was moved to this island, and since when the Murano glass stood symbol of not only sophisticated craftsmanship but an art worth preserving. A few miles from the Fondamenta through a vaporetto transported me to the island of Murano famous for its blown glass creations. An island distinguished for the famous ‘On the Moon’ tale by Giovan Francesco Straparola and even the naughty love tales of none other than Casanova himself.

Food to Savour:

I Tre Mercanti located at Calle al Ponte de la Guerra serves the best Tiramisu in many different flavours.

Who doesn’t love pasta made from the daily fresh dough, when in Italy. Pasta and Pasta is the place I loved the most. From the dough, to the sauces they prepare and their service, all have impressed me. Try the Venetian speciality Linguine al Nero di Seppia (the squid ink sauce). Their pasta in basil sauce and Pasta alla Norma (eggplant pasta) is perhaps the best I have ever tasted in the whole of Venice.

At WEnice relish the typical seafood street food Fritto Misto (made from the fresh catch of the day) located just opposite to the Rialto fish market. (I sadly missed munching on the crispness, as the shop was already closing by the time we reached there and the next morning we left Venice without the taste of it).

Know their opening and closing times. Sometimes they close fifteen minutes ahead if they run out of the fresh stock due to high demand.  

Bring home some Venetian artefacts:

Venetian masks: choose from Jolly to Joker and dare to bring home the most infamous Casanova masks in brilliant colours and intricate detailing.

Aperol, Campari

A Swinging Gondola,

Murano glass items sculptures and jewelleries.

Lace products from Burano Island.

Visit the most surreal bookstore in the world – Aqua Alta Bookstore

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_{Copyright reserved – Swati Basu Das}