"The Canal City" Venice by Ramonq

click: O Sole Mio!

One of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, Venice does not need any further introduction. The whole world knows all about its man-made canals and the romantic gondolas that ply its waters. Any city with a hint of river activity automatically evokes some comparison with this legendary city ie., Bangkok is the Venice of the East; Amsterdam is the Venice of the North; San Antonio is the Venice of Texas. Even Los Angeles has its own suburb called Venice complete with artificial canals and even the occasional gondolas! The real Venice however, is so full of originality and charm, that millions of tourists descend upon the historic place every year, vastly outnumbering the local residents. They trample on its narrow pedestrian roads, cross the quaint stone bridges and enter its hallowed buildings. They marvel at the fantastic architecture around the squares, float around the labyrinthian canals, gawk and take pictures of this gorgeous city. Venice has virtually become an open-air urban museum of some sort, earning a well-deserved reputation as one of the most photogenic city in the world.

I was lucky enough to be in Venice for the annual Venetian Mardi Gras. This is one of Venice's main cultural events when participants wear the most outlandish and evocative period costumes and they just simply swan around the city in a surreal manner. Normally held before Lent around the end of winter, Venice is transformed into an eerie open theatre of masked characters, often draped in medieval or Renaissance regal wear, wandering aimlessly around the narrow lanes and bridges with the city acting as their backdrop. The famed Piazza San Marco becomes the focal point for this event , where hundreds of eerie characters gather and show off their brilliant costumes. Despite the freezing weather, I felt privileged to be amongst the revelers in this extravagant dress-up party, like being in a strange dreamy Frederico Fellini film.

During the Carnivale, this time around, the citizens take equal billing with the city, for a change. Although there are now very few Venetians who actually reside in the canal city, having been taken over by overseas visitors, the proud descendants still manage to rise up to the occasion and bring in some live culture into the aquatic city that has virtually turned into an inanimate museum piece. Most Venetians now live in the mainland across the long viaduct and leaving the island to the millions of tourists and tourist-oriented establishments. Many commute across daily and earn a living from its visitors. The business of Venice is trading with the outside world. And this has been going on since the Venice was a fishing village.

Supposedly to have been founded in 421 AD on St. Mark's day, Venice's patron saint, the island was chosen as a safe refuge from the incessant barbarian invasion from the north. Its isolation and good defence allowed the village to flourish into a thriving commercial town. The refugees built canals and transformed it to a great naval city complete with a sophisticated administrative system called the Doges. As the town prospered, Venice constructed wonderful cathedrals and palaces that are still standing. By the 11th century, Venice was the most important port in the Mediterranean sea and its stature increased when the city became the main naval springboard for the thousands of Crusaders whose campaign was to free Jerusalem from the Muslims.

Venice soon became the Serenissima Repubblica di Venezia, a most powerful and prosperous city state by the sea. Its large main square, Piazza San Marco was the epicentre of pomp and majesty. The Grand Canal spanned by a most beautiful bridge, Ponte Rialto, was to be its fluvial parade ground to display the republic's maritime prowess. Venice was the envy of the medieval world, even more so because of its unique setting. The city spawned a few famous people like Marco Polo, the quintessential adventurer/traveller whose tales of his journey to the Cathay (China) pricked the imagination of medieval Europe. And then there was Giacomo Cassanova, the mythical romantic seducer and lover whose best-selling memoir became legendary across 17th century Europe. Where else but in the romantic and decadent Venice would produce a Cassanova.

Venice survived the Napoleonic and Hapsburg invasion, but later joined the Italian Republic in the 1860's under Garibaldi. Venice importance waned but it remained a de-rigeur stopover for many well-heeled European travellers even before mass-tourism was invented. I don't blame the earlier tourists. Venice's setup is so beautiful and unique, that the whole city is better left on its own. It's really like a medieval theme park! The canals and the magnificent historic buildings complement each other so well that any later addition would destroy the overall ambience. Plagues, floods and spot fires have also visited Venice during the course of its history, but gratefully, the city remains like it was in its heydey.

Water, water, water. That's Venice's main drawcard. but it's also the city's number one enemy. That sparkling canal seeps right into the city's rotting foundation and creates havoc underneath. The millions of tourist that trample on its buildings are oblivious to the wear and tear that they help to create. Venice is living in borrowed time and the Italian governement is fully aware of this. Each time the floodwaters from the Adriatic Sea ebb into the city, the world watches with abated breath hoping that this important world heritage site survives yet another deluge. Venice is learning from Amsterdam by building flood-control dikes and world is helping finance this mega infrastructure. The world will not allow Venice to go under the sea. She is just too precious. The boxing gloves-shaped city will fight this challenge bout.

• Pros:The Whole City, of course
• Cons:Spot the Venetian
• In a nutshell:Fantasy City in the Adriatic Sea