Elegant Decay

Some 400 bridges connect more than 100 islands in this historic municipal powerhouse. It’s wild to think that people have been navigating these streets since the 10th Century. This city has seen its fair share of highs and lows through its 1,000 years of existence. Its resilience is evident.

Today, we hear so much about the impending doom of Venice. Too many tourists. Rising seas. Pollution. Residents fleeing to the main land.  

It does seem to be a city where people toil just to live a simple life. Looking at furniture stores as we’ve walked the narrow, often crowded, streets, I wince at the thought of trying to move a new couch or refrigerator to a residence. Watching men unload produce from boats and navigate stairs on some of the city’s 400 bridges, one realizes just how much work is involved in procuring the daily necessities here. But people do it. Sure, fewer people now, but this is still a vibrant city.

There is a lot of graffiti, and cigarette smoke fills the narrow streets much too frequently, but the Venetian people are beautiful and well-dressed.

Chris and I have watched families navigate streets on their way to and from school.  Perhaps it’s just the bubbly aspect of the Italian language, but the children seem to love life. Perhaps, the fact that we’re in the midst of Carnival has something to do with their exuberance as they have access to copious amounts of confetti and silly string, remnants of which fill plazas throughout the city.

It is believed that the first iterations of today’s Carnevale di Venezia started in the late 12th Century. Today, it seems mostly a spectacle for tourists, although we don’t dare participate in the elegant balls that run €500 per person. Costumed couples and groups pose for photographers no matter if they wield a smartphone or a full complement of lights, reflectors, and lenses. No matter. It is beautiful and uniquely Venice.