Travelogue-Venezia
“Created on a series of mud banks in a lagoon,with canals in place of roads,Venice can truly claim to be unique.It’s people,are more fascinating.Be it a woman,colorfully dressed up for the Carnival or a tedious Gondolier,the people of Venice are truly wonderful,and they are passionate about what they do.Though I was in Venice,only for a few hours,I managed to bring out a part of the daily lives of these Venetians.”
Venice is sited on a group of 118 small islands separated by canals and linked by bridges It is located in the marshy Venetian Lagoon which stretches along the shoreline, between the mouths of the Po the Piave Rivers. Venice is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. The city in its entirety is listed as a World Heritage Site, along with its lagoon.Originally a province of the Byzantine Empire, by the 12th century Venice was an independent city-state and, through its control of the spice and silk trade from the East, the richest trading nation in Europe.The banks of its canals are lined with magnificent palaces dating from this period up until the 18th century. By then Venice’s power and influence were waning.It finally lost its independence in 1797, since when this astonishing city has remained more or less frozen in time.
The Carnival of Venice is an annual festival, held in Venice, Italy. The Carnival ends with the Christian celebration of Lent, forty days before Easter on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday. The festival is famed for its elaborate masks.It is said that the Carnival of Venice was started from a victory of the “Serenissima Repubblica” against the Patriarch of Aquileia, Ulrico di Treven in the year 1162. In the honor of this victory, the people started to dance and make reunions in San Marco Square. Apparently, this festival started on that period and became official in the Renaissance.There are various types of masks,that are worn during the carnival.Here this woman is wearing the Columbina.
“The Columbina is a half-mask, only covering the wearer’s eyes, nose, and upper cheeks. It is often highly decorated with gold, silver, crystals and feathers. It is held up to the face by a baton or is tied with ribbon as with most other Venetian masks. The Columbina mask is named after a stock character in the Commedia dell’arte: Columbina was a maidservent and soubrette who was an adored part of the Italian theatre for generations. It is said it was designed for an actress because she did not wish to have her beautiful face covered completely. In fact, the Columbina is entirely a modern creation. There are no historic paintings depicting its use on the stage or in social life.
While both men and women now wear this mask, it began as a woman’s analog to the bauta.”
The gondola is a traditional, flat-bottomed Venetian rowing boat, well suited to the conditions of the Venetian lagoon. The gondola is propelled like punting, except an oar is used instead of a pole.For centuries gondolas were the chief means of transportation and most common watercraft within Venice. In modern times the iconic boats still have a role in public transport in the city, serving as traghetti over the Grand Canal. They are also used in special regattas (rowing races) held amongst gondoliers. Their primary role today, however, is to carry tourists on rides at fixed rates.
A visit to Venice is incomplete without visiting the Piazza San Marco,which Napoleon called “the drawing room of Europe.” Situated on this very Piazza is the famous St.Mark’s Basilica.
“The St.Mark’s Basilica blends architectural and decorative styles from East and West to create one of Europe’s greatest buildings. Built on a Greek-cross plan and crowned with five huge domes, it is the third church to stand on this site. The first, built to enshrine the body of St. Mark in the 9th century, was destroyed by fire. The second was pulled down in the 11th century to make way for a truly spectacular edifice, reflecting the growing power of the Republic and its links with Byzantium. Many treasures – statues, icons, and the famous horses – were brought to St. Mark’s after the 4th Crusade had plundered Constantinople in 1204.”
-TIPS FOR TRAVELLERS- =====================
Wander around the city and don’t be afraid to get lost: You WILL get lost,
Go to St. Mark’s Square/Rialto Bridge, take pictures/buy a souvenir if you must, have a coffee/gelato,
You must check out St. Mark’s Basilica,
Take a day trip to Murano,
Wear comfortable shoes,
Taste the Italian cuisine in an open air restaurant,specially at Piazza San Marco,
Avoid the crowd,beware of pick pockets,
Enjoy having a conversation with the people,you will love it.Italians are very passionate people,
Take a Gondola ride,
Try to stay overnight in the main-island,
PHOTOGRAPHY-I would suggest you carry either one camera body with a 18-200mm lens or two camera bodies with a choice of ultra-wide angle or wide angle lens and a short telephoto for portraits.You can also carry a sturdy tripod,Polarizer,Neutral density filters and a Electonic Flash Unit,if you want to shoot for extended hours.Please confirm whether Tripods or Flashes are allowed inside historical buildings.Photography is prohibited in the Murano Glass Factory(except the demonstration).