Venice
Post date: Nov 1, 2016 8:36:12 PM
They say that Venice is a city like no other! .. and they don't say it for no reason. It indeed is a city like no other. It is called Serenissima, and it indeed is. A floating city that makes you wonder what humanity can achieve... and amazing that how did they make it hundreds of years ago. There are a few things you need to witness to realize what it is – Venice is one of those things, no matter how many times you have seen it in pictures or videos.
The most preserved city in Europe, a city to get lost and wander... and with all the maps and apps you still get lost in Venetian Calles! When in Venice, You wonder and enjoy everything about it (except cost). The city of canals, bridges, water taxis, masks, artisans, gondolas... It’s not a surprise that poets, artists, riches of the world always loved this city.
I am not writing to tell you what Venice is! Who doesn't know - Even if you haven't seen, you have heard of it.
Perhaps it is the only city in the world that has always been a place of wealthy people. Always! City of the riches, for the riches, and by the riches. City of most prosperous merchants - From the center of the east-west trade route to super-rich Venetian empire to city of making money from religion during crusades to place of European super-rich to casinos – the first Vegas of the world - to poets-artists-film stars to finally major tourist hub. It never really witnessed a not-awesome day in the history of its existence. Being an intermediator between east and west, it was never really attacked and always made money by trade. City of palaces, colorful houses world’s most vibrant city once. Wealth was always in abundance to this small island city-state-empire. Strategically located, intelligently built, enormously beautiful, and forever prosperous…
What else should a city have?
On the same note - What else a happy person should have in life? Kind of the same things!
Any city on the planet will envy to have what Venice always had...
But... there is another side of the story. Sad story. Elegantly sad.
I got a chance to talk to a Venetian.
She told me something totally opposite of this glory – "it is depressing, overloaded, rotten, and slowly sinking city. You should be glad you don't live here! If you have to raise a kid here… can you imagine walking in this city with all those steps and bridges? Do you know how much it costs these days to live here? If you fall sick... water ambulance is no fun in reality. It is romantic if you see from outside but not at all if you live here. This is not a city, it's a museum city, the biggest museum in the world... and museums are not for people to live. People celebrate not knowing that it is rotting and sinking each day... do you know that ground floors on canals are declared un-inhabitable now? St Marks square is flooded every another day. You are not even allowed to repair your homes in most part of the city. It is almost impossible to construct something new here. There are strict laws to preserve the city as it is. On top of it everything is so expensive. Do you know Venice has lowest resident population in its history? If you exclude tourists and business owners, most of the Venetians don't live here anymore. All that flood of people you see everywhere ...no one is from here. All our neighbors left for other places - better places to live. This city is lonely with the crowd and slowly dying. People say it becomes more beautiful as it decays... I don't know! Maybe that is what beauty is. It is wabi-sabi. It is an elegant decay. It is, sadly, beautiful. Do you know what it all means? It has a charm.. it is gorgeous.. no one can question that, but maybe that's not all that is needed in a city to live. It is Serenissima only if you visit, enjoy, and leave. Don't get deep into it... don't let its sadness take over you. As they say - put down the map, get lost in it. Get yourself into the tourist traps. Ride the most beautiful and elegant form of transport humans ever innovated (which is also possibly most expensive per meter)! Rub shoulders with fellow tourists.. and leave before you get to see what I see every day !“ She kept going…
Have you ever met people like Venice? have you seen their other side? Grand-rich-successful-lovable-romantic-like no other-depressed-haseen dukh !.
I have seen human Venices… I see too much of an analogy!