I went to Venice for the inauguration of the exhibit ‘Following in the Footsteps of Marco Polo: Italian Artists Paint Hangzhou’ at the Fondazione Bevilacqua La Masa in San Marco’s Square. It was the second time that I have been in Venice and I appreciated the fact that I could visit the city in another season. The first time I went to Venice was in spring 2000.
It was cold, damp and foggy … but wonderful.
I cannot describe the atmosphere of the city and I don’t believe any visual means has come close. Literature has the case of Thomas Mann which gives another kind of description. The pictures cannot convey the sense of mystery that envelopes every view of the city. The narrow streets that open up to incredible squares and ‘campos’ or end abruptly at a canal entice the visitor to explore and discover. No wonder Marco Polo came from Venice.
I must say, however, that the throngs of tourists is overwhelming at times. Venetians are traditionally not very open to outsiders and I can understand their point of view. So you have to put up with endless masses of people in the main arteries of the city, too many boutiques and unfriendly hosts. However, wandering off to the less-travelled streets will give you unlimited pleasure. But any good tour guide or book will say the same thing.
I wasn’t able to work much as sightseeing took up much of the 2 days. But I did a couple of watercolours on the spot as well as a few sketches. The exhibit was well received.
