Buongiorno Sweet Friends!!

Visiting Venice is somewhat like visiting an aquarium – you’re surrounded by water and beautiful creatures but you don’t get wet; but visiting during the winter months you actually get up close and personal with the surrounding water! It’s high tides/water or Acqua Alta in Venice and from about 10 AM – 2 PM parts of the city and its streets flood. I know it sounds dreadful, but once you buy your rain boots and start playing in the water, it’s like being a kid again and splashing your way through mud puddles.

My friend in Milan had prepared me for Acqua Alta so as I launched out on my second morning in Venice and I headed for San Marco piazza, I knew what to expect. Sure enough, the city had already set up the metal walkways (very narrow risers that allow you to walk over the water) into and through San Marco piazza. Apparently, San Marco piazza is not only the most visited place on the island but it is also the lowest point and therefore gets the most water during Acqua Alta. When I arrived about 9:30 AM the water had barely started to come into the piazza. I opted to tour St. Mark’s (San Marco) Basilica before it got very crowded. I hopped up on the riser and walked into the cathedral.

St. Mark’s Basilica is Venice’s most famous church, known for its art work and history. The church overlooks St. Mark’s Square on the edge of the Grand Canal and is joined to the Doge’s Palace. In the 9^th century merchants smuggled Saint Mark’s relics out of Egypt and brought them to Venice. This scene is depicted in the oldest known exterior mosaic in the world located above the cathedral’s front doors (1260-70). A church was constructed to house the saint’s relics, but burnt down almost 150 years later. It was rebuilt  and the cathedral you see today dates back to 1071 but incorporates what remained of the original structures. When the adjacent Doge’s Palace was renovated the cathedral also got an architectural up-date and Gothic architecture was introduced like the elevated domes and a new façade. The Doge’s (Dukes) of Venice used the building as their own private chapel until it became the Cathedral of Venice in 1807.

The building has a Greek cross design, a central large dome and four domes on each of the arms of the cross. The floors and ceiling/domes are completely covered in mosaics. On the floor there are marble  mosaics with peacocks, winged lions as well as geometric marble patterns. The ceiling mosaics are made from glass pieces and gold leaf and looks amazing in the candlelight, hence the nickname the Golden Cathedral. Above the altar sits Pala d’Oro, a golden panel studded with gems. I also explored the church museum and took the elevator up to the top where I was able to see the entire square, the ocean and much of the city.

When I exited the church about two hours later, the tide had definitely risen and boots were required! I managed to get out of the square using the very crowded metal walkways and headed to buy a pair of the waterproof pull over boots that all the tourists were wearing. I scored a pair off the square for only 7Euro and the saleslady helped me adjust them over my street boots and made sure the elastic was tight. To me the boots look like moon shoes! The boots come in all colors and I had seen tourists sporting orange, yellow, aqua marine and clear depending on the size I think. I headed back to San Marco piazza and into the water!

Like I said, it’s like being a kid and everyone is wading around, splashing and having fun. I wandered through the square and was amazed that some of the shops were still open! Even one cafe was still open even though the floors were covered with water! The shops and cafes around the square all have marble floors and they keep their wares high enough to avoid getting wet and people just slosh in! Some cafes and businesses were closed and had thick metal half doors shut tight to keep out the water.

Next, I toured the Palazzo Ducale or Doge’s Palace. The Palace is a monumental piece of architecture and perhaps the most important site in Venice next to the Basilica. The building was originally founded in the 14th and 15th century with other elements being added over the years. As early as the 7th century the local affairs of Venice were governed by a Doge or Duke and despite being under the Byzantine Emperor the city was relatively autonomous. From the 10th to 11th century the Doge, his whole entourage, public offices, courtrooms, residential apartments, stables, prison, armory and other civil facilities were moved to the present site of the palace. In 1996 the palace became a public museum.

Visitors enter the Palazzo Ducale through the Porta del Frumento through a colonnade and enter a courtyard. The courtyard is home to Sansovino’s colossal statues, Neptune and Mars, which guard the Giants’ Staircase. From the ground floor courtyard you go up to the first floor loggia and the Doge’s Apartments. In the Doge’s Apartments are a number of exquisite rooms each more beautiful than the next. There are frescoes, carved wooden ceilings, marble reliefs, ancient maps and numerous works of art. It’s a huge and magnificent place and I spent several hours there.

When I came out, the water had receded, and I was very hungry. I walked down the lagoon side of the piazza along the grand canal looking for a Traghetto to cross to the other side to see Santa Maria della Salute or St. Mary’s of Health Church. After a little searching, I finally found a Traghetto crossing and got my first ride in a gondola! It’s a cheap way (2Euro) to experience the gondola and have your picture made even if the crossing only lasts 2 minutes or less. I found a local osteria for lunch. An osteria is like a neighborhood place where locals eat in a home style environment. They probably don’t get a lot of tourists is my guess, but they did speak English, so I ordered a very nice salad and bread, which turned out to be quite good and plentiful and cheap!

St. Mary of Health Church (La Salute) stands on a piece of land protruding into the lagoon between the San Marco Basin and the Grand Canal. This is one of the plague churches constructed to give thanks for the passing of a terrible plague (1 of 3 plagues in the city). The octagonal shaped building has two large domes and two bell towers. The façade has a high arched entrance way lined with double pilaster columns supporting a pediment topped with a figure of Mary. Between the columns on each side are statues of the apostles.

During my visit, a Vapretto arrived carrying an entourage of senior citizens most of who were in wheel chairs accompanied by volunteers who assisted them out of the shuttle, up the ramp and into the church for mass. It was really heart warming to see how excited they were to be out of their rooms and going to mass in this beautiful church. I followed them inside and watched the mass from afar. It was lovely. I’m not sure how often they get to do this, but judging from the amount of time it took and the number of volunteers, I doubt it’s very often, so I was happy I was able to be a part of it.

I continued my walk through the city streets, wandering and wandering through the tiny twists and turns. By now, I had quit consulting my map other than to see what general direction I should be headed. Forget looking for streets and street names! Just head in the general direction and you’ll get there eventually. I headed toward Rialto bridge to browse through the pop up markets. Although I never buy anything, I enjoy looking at all the carnival masks, hand made leather goods and Murano glass.

I found a local cafe and had dinner. I met two wonderful ladies from the States, one is a student in Venice and the other is a chef in Paris at a vegan/vegetarian restaurant! Well, hello!! Nice to meet you! She gave me her card and told me to call her next time I’m in Paris. Yes, I believe I will! Score!!

I hope you enjoy your day it’s a total SCORE as well! Tomorrow, more on Venice and Acqua Alta but for now, ciao!