Shakespeare got it right when he said in the Merchant of Venice ‘What News on the Rialto?’ The Rialto bridge is the place where all Venetian stories end up and where everyone wants to be….literally, it just heaves with people and is right across from our window.
This is the very place where Venice was founded on March 1st 421AD. It is the place where Rosie should have started her story as it is a magnet that you gravitate to, the markets are still in the same place since Venices inception and they give way to the steps of the bridge and the souvener shops that line the bridge. There has been a crossing here since 1180, the original stone bridge was built in 1591 and it is the still the same one that Rosie is standing on now….the very same one that Shakespeare walked on too….and 20 million people cross every year as tourists….you get it, pretty awesome.
Rosie and the Operator have spent alot of time mulling over these facts sitting at the foot of the bridge with an aperol spritz in the last rays of the early evening. We did however sit inside the cafe on the day we took this picture to the left. It was high tide and the water was slopping over the edge of the canal as the water buses passed under the bridge. This man wasnt bothered he just kept lifting his feet. Thats our little yellow tables below.
Anyhow, its our last day and we cant while it away…off to St Marks Square for a birds eye view of Venice form the top of the Campanile (bell tower) and they have a lift! One of the only ancient monuments in the world where you dont need to climb the stairs!
I suppose its not technically ancient….There has been a bell tower here for over 1000 years. The tower that we see today was built in the 1500s…in 1902 a crack appeared, it got bigger and a week later the tower collapsed, miraculously killing no one but the caretakers cat. The tower was rebuilt looking exactly the same with modern reinforced materials. The views from the top are stunning, and, you may have noticed, you cannot see a single canal….the streets are that narrow and the buildings too high none can be seen from this height.
The wind was blowing something fearsome up in the bell tower…Rosie was freezing cold and suggested they went to the legendary Cafe Florian in the square for a renowned Hot Chocolate. The Florian is the oldest cafe in the world, est 1720 frequented in the day by the likes of Goethe and Casanova….who was no doubt attracted by the fact that the Florian was the only coffee house to allow women in at the time. Despite the path this cafe played in history and being a hang out for revolutionaries…..The Operator balked at 19euros each for hot chocolate. In context for a shot of espresso it costs 1 euro, at the Florian 6 euro…..we nabbed a photo and left.
Rosie has loved being in Venice…it is a truly beautiful city, totally unique and one which should be visited by everyone if you have the opportunity….well nearly everyone. Rosie and The Operator were on a water bus on the Grand Canal, an American man was standing next to us, he asked The Operator’ So, has this place always been like this?’ Pardon? said The Operator, what do you mean? ‘The water, when did they flood the streets?’ Rosies mouth hit the deck, a hundred eyes and ears turned our way…..
The Operator then gave him the history of how the city was built on piles in what was effectively a swamp at the time, he did a very good job too….Rosie was very proud and still trying to collect herself from the idiot abroad, some people shouldn’t be let loose on the world. Then again it is all about education…….
Jennifer from our tour yesterday gave us the low down on all the good local places to eat out, we have feasted like kings here and are loving the fresh seafood and genuine trattoria away from the tourist drag. She recommended the place we went to last night and a cool bar we went to tonight for traditional Venetian cicheti which are the Venetian version of tapas.
The moon was huge and full over Venice on the way home, light was reflecting on the canal and Rosie is still spell bound. Tomorrow we collect our rental car and push off into smaller towns….first stop though is Bologna – uncharted territory for Rosie and The Operator.
