V.(ery)nice Venice

VENICE was the next destination for us from Florence in our tour itinerary. The early morning drive along the Adriatic Sea to take the water bus to Venice on a sunny morning in July was quite pleasant.  As we moved forward, my mind flew backwards churning about what all I know about Venice through books, movies, documentaries and my drawing parallel of it with the Floating market in Thailand – I was visualizing what the Italian gem is really going to be. The bass voice of the tour guide brought me back to the present – we already were in the boarding point. The water bus ride from the mainland to the island of Venice is around 45 minutes in the Adriatic Sea which swarms with various kinds of ships-we crossed the 7-star luxury cruisers berthed in the port. We could sight the silhouettes of the palatial structure as we neared the shore.

Disembarking from the ferry with 1000 reminders from our guide not to get lost in memories or crowd for no longer the stipulated time-lest the carrier would leave back without us and we will be “marooned” in the island! We started inching towards the most happening places. Thousands of tourists were thronging the broad pathway-just think about a festival day in Ranganathan Street or Times Square or Rajini film release!!

St. Mark’s Square Basilica in the center of the city is the hub around which the whole city of Venice thrives. Two beautiful pillars with the bronze structure of a winged-lion with bible perched on one and the other with a Saint standing on a crocodile welcomes us to the Centre square.

The present Basilica built in the 16^th century is one of the ancient churches of Europe studded with most valuable treasures of history, art, culture and faith. The magnificence cannot be described in words-the high domes, large doors, gold-plated interiors tells it all. Opposite side is the red bricked Bell Tower, yet another recognizable symbol of the city. Adjacent to the Church is the Doge’s palace-the former residence of the Supreme Authority of Venice, centuries back. A bridge across the canal connects the jail situated behind the palace. The popular belief is that the condemned prisoner take a heavy sigh and last view of the city through the windows in the bridge, before taken to rot in their cells or executed. The bridge is aptly named as ‘Bridge of Sighs’.

Getting back to the Square flies me to the memory lane along with the scores of pigeons. Countless Indian movies were filmed there- Bachna Ae Haseeno, Kambakth Ishq, The Great Gambler to name a few that I am aware of. As coincidence would have it, there was an Italian film shooting in progress-had a glimpse of it for a while.

I will fail as a tourist if I do not appreciate the authorities for maintaining the massive wash rooms spic and span for the multitude crowds and also the users who cooperate in keeping it tidy.

Time was ticking fast. A trip to Venice just is not complete without experiencing the quintessential Venetian pastime-The Gondola ride- a prized carved wooden boat. We rushed to the spot where our Master Gondolier clad in the traditional uniform of striped T-shirt, Black hat, black- pant and brown shoes was waiting to navigate us through the narrow canals crisscrossing the city for miles together. As we sailed, our gondolier-a smart, tall, charming person narrated the significance of various places and locations and enchanted us with occasional songs. It was an experience watching the numerous gondolas moving in every direction, but with an invisible discipline, its façade gliding through various waters peacefully. I am sure, you’ll be reminded of the song sequence of ‘The Great Gambler’ starring our ‘Angry young man’ Amitabh Bachchan, Zeenat Aman with the mesmerizing voice of Asha Bhosle. The romance is in the air! Gondolas keep alive cultures most simple pleasure!!

(musical) Din..ditin.tidin…tidin…te din tidin…te…dintidin,,,,.todatadine…….Bond-James Bond !!!! Can anybody forget the thrilling boat chase sequence  of Roger Moore’s  Moonraker or the climax shots of stilt buildings collapsing in the water in Daniel Craig’s Casino Royale? What a sight it would have been to watch these heartthrobs performing in these busy places! The Venice Film festival is a pride of movie buffs and all concerned in any sphere of the movie world. People yearn to tread on the ‘Red carpet’ for recognition.

The ride through the grand canal, smaller waterways, passing bridges, palazzos, churches, restaurants can never be forgotten. We already had alighted the boat to catch our water bus-we had to rush back, but not before visiting a glass factory, a Venetian Mask & souvenir shop.

I rate Venice as a beautiful, romantic city in all of Europe.

Till I lace for the next…

J.Ram