Wednesday 22 February 2012

Venice

A wonderful little clip on Venice and how it works. A city we have visited many times and simply love. We walked all over it, did a 3 day cruise of the greater lagoon and many islands where no one ever goes unless you are a native. Visited the beautiful cemetery where I am to be buried, I think that the dead in that place are happy.  Have eaten in wonderful restaurants known only to Venetians. I find that Venice is beautiful before 10 in the morning and after 4 in the afternoon when all the day trippers are gone. What to do between 10am and 4pm, easy, go into the neighbourhoods not frequented by the hordes and discover the peace of the city, walk in the deserted alleyways, go to one of the many churches and look around, appreciate the silence.

One strong memory of Venice which has stayed with me all these many years is the toll of the bells of the many churches which ring the hour in every neighbourhood. At midnight all the smaller churches will toll the 12 strokes of midnight and when the last one has finished, suddenly the bells of the San Marco Basilica at the top of the Campanile will strike 12, if you are at that moment in the deserted Piazza San Marco at that hour, the silence is broken by the giant bells, it is chilling, grave, you are the witness to a ceremonial repeated every night for centuries, it catches your attention and it is magical.




Venice Backstage. How does Venice work? from Insula spa on Vimeo.

4 comments:

  1. I would love to see it, but I fear 'it is too late' < isn't it underwater or decayed by now?

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  2. Ur-Spo Are you kidding? No Venice is just as beautiful as ever.

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  3. Laurent, I like this post a lot. It's good writing.

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