Romancing Venice

''Romance is in the air'' — I can almost hear the two lovable characters from The Lion King resonate in my ears as I step out of the ferry and onto the land called San Marco, one of Venice’s six districts, looking fresh by the Adriatic Sea.

The crisp, cold October afternoon is tantalising; I revel in it. This place has more to offer in terms of ambience and I am here to soak all that up. The history, culture, nuances of street trade, everything has a story to tell. The infamous tag line, “Venice is the city of canals,” is fully justified here in San Marco, with numerous small ramps and beautiful canals running underneath, dotted here and there by small boats called gondolas.

Best seen by foot, I am prepared to exercise those calves for at least the better part of the day. A half a kilometre walk along the lagoon takes me to a culturally rich spot, which gives a breathtaking view of space and expanse. This prominent place that screams of history and culture is what Napoleon referred to as “the drawing room of Europe.” A proud Venetian will call it Piazza San Marco, simply known as St Mark’s Square. The square is dominated by St Mark’s Basilica, which is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Venice in northern Italy.

Owing to its opulent designs and gilded mosaics, this 11th century building is regarded as a symbol of past Venetian wealth and power. The Torre Dell’Orologio or the Clock Tower stands tall in the square finding prominence, as many eager people get themselves photographed with the tower in the backdrop. The Doge’s Palace or the government office is an architectural marvel and so is the Bridge of Sighs, named so because the prisoners were said to sigh as they walked across it and viewed freedom for the last time.

A short walk from the Piazza is the Murano Glass Factory and showroom, which boasts of artistic pieces of moulded glass in different shapes and colours. A closer look reveals the painstaking effort behind this wonderful work of art. Wine glasses, rings and jewellery adorn the shelves along with an array of other household items. The camera captures the process while a professional at the factory heats the glass and shapes it into horses, elephants and other wonderful creations.

A stone’s throw from the Glass Factory is the hub from where the gondolas make their grand city tour through the canals. Once seated in the gondola, the charming gondolier, in his heavily-accented English, takes his passengers through the canals.

The sights of little two-storey apartments, hotels, shoe shops, cafes with prime seats facing the canals and even designer wear outlets are a true marvel. The gondolier uses the oar gently, humming soft tunes. Occasionally he screams, “Tsunami, tsunami,” while churning the water with his oar. The gondola rocks from side to side, throwing me off my seat.

Back into the annexe of St Mark’s Square, the all pervasive coffee aroma teasingly leads me into one of the cafe outlets. Sipping coffee while I listen to the orchestra perform at the square takes me back in time with each lilting note. The lady who serves me coffee warns me not to venture with my drink near the pigeons, lest they turn violent.

An array of shops nestled in the annexe, ranging from coffee shops to shops selling watches, jewellery and Murano creations leaves me feeling spoilt for choice. With all my senses appeased, I walk back to the piazza. Making my way through the stalls, I am now tempted to buy some memorabilia. The very colourful Venetian masks are eye-catching. These masks, which are typically worn during the Carnevale or Carnival of Venice, were used in the past to hide one’s identity and social status.

Loaded with memories, I step back onto the ferry. Looking back, I bid adieu to one of the most happening places in the world. The wind gets chilly and I tug at my jacket while reminiscing about the ‘walk around’ San Marco. As the sun fades away into the horizon, I bid Venezia goodbye.