“Venice is like eating an entire box of

chocolate liqueurs in one go.”

Truman Capote

On the vaparetto, we floated by palaces, art museums and churches. The architecture is so grand, my mind danced with images of people from the past.

But, I worry my grandchildren will never see any of this.

Venice is considered by many to be a dying city with a population of 60,000, half of what it was 30 years ago.

“Apartments are small, high up, and expensive. Humidity and occasional flooding make basic maintenance a pain. Home-improvement projects require navigating miles of bureaucratic red tape, and you must follow regulations intended to preserve the historical ambiance. Everything is expensive because it has to be shipped in from the mainland.
…Despite government efforts to subsidize rents and build cheap housing, the city is losing its residents. The economy itself is thriving…But the culture is dying. Even the most hopeful city planners worry that in a few decades Venice will not be a city at all, but a museum, a cultural theme park, a decaying Disneyland for adults.” (Rick Steves’ Italy 2012, p.93)

Venice is a piece of our heritage slipping into the sea. A number of construction cranes towered into the sky and men were working on restorations at many locations, so maybe it will be saved. Maybe.I certainly hope so.

You can pick your metaphor. Bridges or Canals. Venice is a place that connects us to a past so grand that it feels mythical.

San Marco at night.

What can I say? Venice infects you. Our two day adventure was not long enough. PJ (who took all the pics in this post)is been busy looking for places to stay for a month. It would be interesting, definitely inspiring.

A great writer once said: