Final Spurt in Copenhagen, Denmark
Posted August 21, 2009 , add a commentFinal Spurt in Copenhagen, Denmark
“Final Spurt” is the heading of Copenhagen Pride 2009 - at least for those who view it from the pavement opposite the Frederiksberg Centre - “last day Sunday 10-16″, a promotion for the summer sales fading out tomorrow. Every sign and banner of the participating groups, over 50, is at one point overshadowed by the huge ad, confusing their proper messages.
It’s hopefully not the last spurt of the proud motorcyclists who get the Pride moving and will faithfully pull it forward, same procedure as every year. New and very special this year is World Outgames, by many mistakenly called the Olympics of the LGBT world - lesbian, gay, bi and transgender. Tomorrow is indeed the final spurt, after a week of hectic fighting in the arenas of Copenhagen, only disturbed by the occasional hate crime.
Surprise! The slightly delayed first float turns out to be Copenhagen Pride’s own. After all, the Pride parade is a local manifestation, this year two weeks earlier than normal in order to coincide with the closing ceremony of the Outgames in a gigantic party on the City Hall Square of Copenhagen. The athletes and their organizers are, however, still pending on a different City Hall Square, that of Frederiksberg, a municipality encircled by Copenhagen.
On Frederiksberg
Frederiksberg is popular for gay living and boasts a tax rate lower than Copenhagen’s. The Saturday morning’s flea market goes on as usual behind the City Hall, whereas the Square is a swarm of leather men, drag queens and other people in minimal but fancy dress crowding around their own dear float. Cafe Intime delivers draught beer and a limited toilet capacity. Smell from the adjacent garden might on Monday remind the local politicians of the subterranean public toilet they removed years ago as an anti-gay measure.
The place was pretentiously referred to as Elverhoj, after an old play belonging to the national heritage - about elves. Frederiksberg has long since embraced the gay community, though. The Lord Mayor is honored to spice the Pride departure with a few well-chosen words, then starts walking shoulder to shoulder with another conservative, the sunburnt Mr. Travel, a media oracle with a foot in each camp, always ready with a comment about travel. En route, the two of them have plenty of time to twist and turn a possible reopening of Elverhoj.
A white Outgames float is getting ready, has yet time for minor adjustments. The bare name of it will catch attention, thanks to its overworked crew. Every one with antennas out knows they did their job well. They attracted 5000 participants from around the world, organized lodging and competitions, exposed them to multifarious cultural events and a much talked about human rights conference, all the while keeping media informed, also about disgusting hate crimes, which in Denmark, too, often fail to reach the police reports.
Popular Officers
News media and the police reports were soon focusing on the real thing - firecrackers thrown at Outgames athletes. The offenders, Danish ones, ought to be confronted with the minorities, for example on float number 2 - Sabaah - a club for young non-heteros with an ethnic background other than Danish, newcomers this year. Alternatively, do the parade on foot accompanying Copenhagen’s young Mayor of Integration and let him guide them. He might send them to the Copenhagen City Museum to see “As I am” about sex identity in the recent past.
The police have an easy job protecting today’s sun-drenched parade, including 20 uniformed officers carrying “Accept” signs, men and women representing “Homosexuals in the Defense”. They are immensely popular in their white shirts, smiling and laughing warmly at the questions they get. People walk with them awhile to get the answers. Colleagues from the police, popular too, play down their own presence by staying in their cars. In case Mother Duck wishes to cross the road with her ducklings, the police need not turn out, for the Pride moves forward with more fits than starts.
Who wouldn’t marry such a policeman or officer! The eager ones have to content themselves, though, with “Same Sex Partnership”, a huge step forward taken 20 years ago, used as theme on the elegant white float of Jailhouse, a gay bar specializing in theme nights. Had the Pride route been flexible, they could have made a stop at the Copenhagen Cathedral, offering church blessings for LGBT couples, an emotional Pride service while waiting for the law to allow church weddings. Each column on the Cathedral’s facade is swathed in one particular rainbow color, the most beautiful rainbow image during the Pride and Outgames week.
Queers on Loan
A small rainbow banner of the traditional sort has come to a standstill immediately below the “Final Spurt” ad, an efficient reminder that this is the very last opportunity to borrow a Queer in the Library, who will during half an hour update you on LGBT, just ask the questions. If that fails, then Miss OTB - One Tall Bitch - is always available for new projects. The tall young guy is cult with his wild dresses, often using stilts underneath. Today he is in gold, his face scarcely visible inside an explosion of black hairdo suited to keep children and birds away. He need not go to the City Museum, for he is already part of their exhibition.
Copenhagen has “open” in its name, a detail most of us never thought of, but Microsoft did - on their yellow banner and on a double-page in the Outgames program book, both sporting the motto “Out is the new In”, and they do come out with the number of employees and nationalities in their Danish branch, where “All orientations” are represented. Queer sexuality has finally become a qualification. No surprise that Carmen Curlers, a lesbian and gay choir, breaks into song. Amnesty could learn from all that openness by letting people earmark their contributions to prisoners sentenced for not being hetero.
The political parties really embrace this year’s Pride, fishing for votes of course, the payment for which should be future support whenever LGBT is on the political agenda. Influence is crucial, just think of the Partnership Law. Missing influence can lead to catastrophes like the “Ugly Law” from 1961, which criminalized the customers of male prostitution and was used by the police to persecute gay men ruthlessly; a disaster lasting 4 years. Ask any of the participants from LBL, the national Danish LGBT Association -the oldest of its kind in the world - today meeting their members on street level.
Missing Mermaid
The Pride leaves behind only sunshine and rainbow flags turned into litter. Daily life will show us whether we became more open, accepting and including. A feeling that private companies and political parties try to reap the benefits, should perhaps be interpreted as the start of a dialogue. The Frederiksberg Centre could via their facade really have sent a message to the LGBT world, but had nothing to say. ”Final Spurt” is sheer promotion, unless it’s an invitation to those who feel the call of nature.
Pride 2009 had style, size and atmosphere. In normal years, though, these parades seem to be made on assembly lines - pride here, pride there, pride again. Copenhagen can easily create their own special image - simply by resuming the old name - Mermaid Pride, a brand second to none.
Athens – Controlled Chaos
Posted , add a commentMany cities can claim to be old, aging, but few can be said to be still walking the same streets as the ancients. And in many ways, as we walk to the streets of Athens, you really can feel the millions of feet that have trodden the same path…perhaps not on exactly the same piece of bitumen, but you know what I mean. There are so many things to see and do in Athens, that they simply cannot all be listed. But I am hoping to give a tasty selection which will entice any traveller to the home of the many gods of our modern day. The city itself can be bustling, so just remember to breathe and enjoy the sights.
The Acropolis
Listed in my book as one of the 3 million Wonders of the World, the Acropolis is astounding not just for its size, but for the view it gives onto the rest of Athens. You can also see the Gates of Zeus, to the east of the Acropolis, where in 2007, the first meeting occurred of the Followers of Zeus, for a thousand years. The religion or sect was banned in Greece when polytheism was outlawed. The climb to this great monument is not so tiring, but if you are doing it during summer, it would be best in the morning, as the sun can be quite crushing in Athens. The Acropolis is not just the Parthenon, which is the major building structure you see in all the photos. There are a range of garden type areas to walk through with various stone relics. Here you can wander the stones as if you were an ancient philosopher, decry Sophocles or have your epiphany like Archimedes, and proclaim ‘Eureka!’. However, as he was in the bath at the time, it may not be so wise…
Wonders of Ancient Greece - Acropolis and Parthenon
National Gardens of Athens
Located at the border of four popular suburbs of Athens, this jewel in the midst of the city is easy to find, and can lead you to a variety of locations once you are done.
The gardens are located at the edge of Plaka, Acropolis, Thission, Monastiraki, and Psiri. It was designed primarily by the wife of King Otto, Amalia, to complement the new palace. Intended to hold plants and trees from all over the world, it maintains a rainforest feel right in the middle of the city. The area includes two large duck ponds which accommodate a massive brood of Daffys, which can be quite aggressive about their feeding times. As you walk the paths, beware! As they seem to have found a haven, and will go for anyone who has even a whiff of breadcrumbs about them.
Changing of the guard and batteries in Athens
As you exit the gardens, there are various ways to go. One of the more interesting is to go out to Irodou Atikou street, and to the left are the Evzones – the group that guards the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The Evzones are soldiers who previously have guarded the Royal Palace, who are chosen for their height and character. They were founded in 1824, and in 1863 became the elite force of Greece. They are also the soldiers who wear those little pompoms on their feel and the cute dress skirt kilts. They look too sweet to be soldiers.
If you like museums, stay on this street and you will come to Vassilias Sophias street where there is the Benaki Museum. Continuing up the hill you will hit Kokonaki Square. If you take a right on Vassilias Sophias street, the Byzantine Museum and the War Museum are right next to each other, which offer really old pieces from…surprising Byzantium era; and really quite scary war pieces from Greek campaigns.
The Metro
Now you should be warned, the Metro of Athens or Attica Metro, is not just a set of railway stations, it is a beautifully designed and wonderfully curated museum that just happens to house the city’s public transport inside it. This all began when the city was preparing for the Olympics of 2004. During the construction of two new rail lines, over 30, 000 artefacts were found on 70,000 square metres. The archaeologists initially worked in front of and then eventually alongside of excavators for a total of 6 years. They uncovered ancients streets, houses, workshops, cemeteries, kilns, aqueducts, drains, foundry pits and sewage tunnels, which allowed a new insight into ancient topography of the city. The stations which hold the majority of the relics discovered are Syntagma, Evangelismos, Academia and the University of Athens, where one can see skeletons, old pottery items, grave stones and even a 2,000 year old beehive! These stations are also fantastically designed, and a real treat as a change from many of the main city stations which are crowded with advertising and rushing hordes. So it is great if you can take the time to wander through these stations, rather than dash for the next train. It may have taken Athens a long time to get their metro going, but at least they got it right!
Monastiraki Flea Market
Sundays are awash with locals at Monastariki, which is a flea market located between Plaka and Syntagma stations. These markets are full of almost anything you could want and not need. From antiques to souvenirs, there is choice aplenty. However, to really get the feel of the area, it would be a good idea to stroll around the area of Psiri, which has a history of being part of the underworld back in the 19th century, and is now the home of a jumping nightlife after dark. Psiri was also the area Lord Byron lived in while in Athens, and where he wrote ‘Maid of Athens’ about Theresa Makris, a girl who lived next to his boarding house.
Don’t leave Athens without trying a souflaki!
During the day, Psiri is an almost quiet semi-industrial area, however, after 6pm is when the tables and chairs come onto the footpath, and the lights come out. There are dozens of places to choose from for good and cheap meals, often accompanied by traditional guitarists, and a bit of a dance later on.
And just as a final note, while you are in the city, try to look up at the tops of the houses – many of them will appear unfinished. This, I am told, is due to the fact that if the building has no top floor, you don’t have to pay some taxes. Maybe this is true, but it will certainly give you a sense of Greek style! Don’t forget to sample all the feta you can, and the fabulous olive oil, I drool as I think of all the fantastic food there. So dig in, fill up, and enjoy what there is in one on my favourite cities!
Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s Athens tours & things to do in Athens, from Athens walking tours to Athens sightseeing and dinner show. Or take a day trip from Athens on a cultural tour to Delphi or Olympia.
7 Places to Visit in England Besides London
Posted , add a comment7 Places to Visit in England Besides London
When I’m backpacking I always meet people who are travelling to London, but there is so much more to England than the nation’s capital. We may be a tiny and rather compact country but often travellers seem to think that England is London.
On several occasions friends of mine from other countries have said “I’m in London, fancy meeting up for a drink?” “Errr no I live in Manchester” is my response. Whilst the weather may not always be up to much, this country has some of the most spectacular countryside on offer- there’s a reason they call it the green and pleasant land. Here is my list of some of the most beautiful parts of England.
Devon & Cornwall
If you want to experience quintessential English villages, cream teas and country pubs, Devon & Cornwall is the perfect place to do just that. I spent countless summers as a child on the south coast of Devon, nicknamed the ‘English Riviera’, in the sailing towns of Salcombe and Dartmouth.
People often don’t realise that England has some spectacular coastline and the south coast of Devon has some of my most favourite beaches in the world. The north coast of Cornwall is home to the best surf in the UK with Polzeath and Newquay offering excellent waves.
The tiny fishing village of Port Isaac and Padstow have some of the finest restaurants in the country and if you want to mingle with the rich and famous and maybe spot a royal or meet your own Prince Harry, take a trip to Rock- Britain’s answer to St Tropez.
Cambridge
Submerge yourself in academia and appreciate the architecture of the many colleges in this famous university town. The world- renowned Cambridge University has seen many famous scientists and artists graduate through its doors including Newton, Darwin and Wordsworth.
Cambridge itself has stunning medieval buildings, courtyards, gardens and bridges as well as number of shops, bars and restaurants. Situated in the East of England, Cambridge sits on the River Cam.
Take a picnic and some strawberries and go ‘punting’ on the river. ‘Punting’ involves moving a boat along the river with a giant stick, a bit like the English version of a gondola - just don’t fall in!
Brighton
Instead of following fashion, Brighton leads it - it’s full of the most wacky, colourful, eccentric, up-and-coming and creative people. It’s a cool seaside town on the south coast of England with plenty going on, excellent shopping and some amazing nightlife. Brighton is a brilliant mix of bustling city life and laid-back beach lifestyle.
Just 50 minutes outside London, Brighton has famous landmarks including the Royal Pavilion, home of King George IV, and the Victorian promenade, Brighton Pier. The sea front is lined with surf shops, art galleries, fish and chip shops and buskers. This is a city of festivals too - not only is it home to Britain’s biggest arts festival, Brighton Festival, but there’s comedy, music and food festivals all year round.
Brighton happens to be the gay capital of England, so Brighton Summer pride is the biggest pride festival celebrating all things gay and lesbian. In December the Burning of The Clocks takes place to welcome the lengthening of the days, where people carry lanterns through the city, culminating in a huge pyrotechnic and firework display.
The Cotswolds
The Cotswolds is an area in central-West England and is well known for gentle hillsides, dry-stone walls and sleepy honey- coloured limestone villages. It lies between the cities of Stratford Upon Avon, Oxford and Bath and covers around 790 square miles - it is classified as the largest area of ‘outstanding natural beauty.’
It includes the famous spa city of Bath and the town of Cheltenham, home to horse racing. The Cheltenham Gold Cup horse race takes place every year in March and is part of a weeklong event, the Cheltenham Festival.
The Cotswolds is also rather a chic area with celebrity visitors and residents, critically acclaimed restaurants, gastro pubs and farmers’ markets. The area is truly beautiful, with manor houses, national trust properties, museums and gardens to visit.
The Yorkshire Dales
Yorkshire folk have a no-nonsense attitude, a great sense of humour, are fond of a cup of builder’s tea and make a great Yorkshire pudding (I have tried to describe this to people many a time - it’s made from batter and it’s like a cross between a pancake and a dumpling).
They also have beautiful dales (valleys) and heather moors, which are excellent for walking, hiking and mountain biking. If you don’t want to walk you can always take a steam train instead.
The Dales has sweeping valleys, sleepy meadows, high fells, broad-leaved woodland, dramatic rocky crags, caves, historic buildings and bustling market towns. The landscape is scattered with stone barns and houses and an abundance of waterfalls.
Manchester
In the words of Ian Brown ‘Manchester has everything but a beach.’ This is home of one of the most famous football teams in the world - when travelling anywhere in the world, even in some far off distant land, Mancunians like myself are asked, ‘Do you support Manchester United?’ So why not take the opportunity to visit the reds’ home ground and see a game at Old Trafford.
Manchester’s other export is the band Oasis, and any karaoke night abroad wouldn’t be complete without a bad rendition of Wonderwall. The MEN arena is a great venue to go and see famous music acts, and Manchester has a lively and original music scene.
England’s second largest is an industrial city with a multicultural community; try a curry on the Curry Mile, visit the famous Lowry Centre and Art Gallery or learn about Manchester’s history at the URBIS museum.
Manchester has a tram system for getting around and a big wheel offers panoramic views of the city and the surrounding areas. Nightlife centres around the Northern Quarter, Deansgate and Castlefield. With some parts rebuilt after the IRA bomb in 1996, Manchester is a perfect blend of old and new.
The Lake District
Once the home of Beatrix Potter and the inspiration for her childrens books, the Lake District is England’s largest National Park. It was also poet William Wordsworth’s inspiration and now nurtures a new generation of writers and artists.
Located in the North West of England the stunning scenery includes fells, valleys, peaks, towns and villages and of course lakes! It’s great for walking, climbing and cycling and you can also get on the water and do some sailing, kite surfing and windsurfing on the lakes and coastline.
So if you’re an outdoors-y type it is really worth going to this area of the North West. There are plenty of cafes, Michelin-starred restaurants and pubs for foodies and you can buy all sorts of individual arts and crafts.
Top things to do include taking a cruise on Lake Windermere, exploring the World of Beatrix Potter or visiting Wordsworth’s home, Dove Cottage.
Photo credits:
Manchester by samdiablo666 on Flickr, Cambridge by Prisoner 5413 on Flickr, Lake District by 1UK3 on Flickr, Yorkshire Dales by bbodien on Flickr, Brighton by jvoronine on Flickr, Cotswolds by James-Hetherington (away in Italy for 2 weeks) on Flickr, Devon and Cornwall by R P Marks on Flickr
Perth: Get Your Local Know-How Before You Go West
Posted , add a commentPerth: Get Your Local Know-How Before You Go West
Western Australia is now more accessible than ever with Virgin Blue offering flights for as little as $99 each way from Sydney to Perth. These cheap fares do exist - I got one. Top value to get all the way to the other side of Australia.
Having been shown around by a local myself, here is the local know-how to plan a great trip before you go!
Perth offers many hotels throughout the city; and the backpacker district where you’ll find cheap hostels, meal deals and loads of bars is Northbridge, located close to the city centre.
For shopping you can’t beat Harbourtown in the city centre, which has outlet stores for virtually every shop you can think of. Keen shoppers should allow at least half a day to attack this one.
For beach lovers Perth is a paradise with several beaches stretched along the coast not far from the city centre: including City Beach, Scarborough Beach and Perth’s most famous, Cottesloe Beach. At any of Perth’s beaches you can soak up the sun, jump into clear, clean water and relax on white island-like sand.
Cottesloe is a mecca for fans of the great Aussie Sunday session. There are two huge pubs right across from the beach where Perth locals head to in droves every Sunday, to drink multitudes of beer, catch a live band and watch the sun set on the beach. The Cottesloe Beach Hotel (CBH in local lingo) is famous for its Sunday sessions all over Australia and the Ocean Beach Hotel (OBH) is the pick of the two if you’re over 25 and also like the occasional cocktail: they also have a cocktail bar overlooking the beach.
To get a taste for WA’s culture and history head to Fremantle, only half an hour drive/train ride South of Perth. Freo, as the locals call it, is packed with history and buildings built by the convicts. It’s still a working port and uni town, home to the University of Notre Dame, which has taken over many of the historical buildings.
Being a uni town it is also a hippie town. You can spend all day wandering around arcades full of alternative shops selling crystals and motivational books and/or dousing the 40C (in summer) heat with a refreshing pint or five in the beer garden of one of the many pubs. Note to backpackers - Freo is great for nightlife and boasts Perth’s biggest selection of $2 stores.
The old buildings in Freo are lovingly restored back to their old glory, but it’s just as well because it’s the only place in Perth you’ll find any history. As a rule everything in Perth is astoundingly new, and any building over 20 years old has been knocked down and replaced with McUnits or McMansions.
Perhaps it’s all part of the mining boom, which saw property in Perth skyrocket in price and housing costs rise with it. This boom also brought about a new species, which you’ll find all over WA - the CUB, or cashed-up bogan. You will recognise the CUB because he has a mullet, is often covered with tats, and makes more money in one year in the mines than your politically correct office job in Sydney will make you in three years. Sometimes he also wears a suit - a rare photo opportunity for Facebook.
People in Perth are friendly, very polite and protective of their personal space (probably because the State they live in is around as big as QLD, NSW and Victoria combined). At one point they were going to ban mobile phones on buses because they thought the noise was offensive to other commuters.
For more of the alternative scene head to Leederville, in suburban Perth. Eat at the top caf? diner on the main street with Chinese lanterns covering the ceiling, retro band posters covering every inch of the walls, comfy couches, loads of mags to flip through and the best home-made smoothies.
For a bar with a difference hit The Leederville on a Saturday night. The whole back area is an open air beer garden with a huge dance floor, loads of dance podiums for the drunken exhibitionist in us all and a huge dome covering the lot around three stories up in the air. There’s loads of platforms and suspended wires up in the air around ceiling height which come to life with fire twirlers and trapeze artists after dark.
To see the city views head to Kings Park. You can see over the entire city basking in the sun in its high-rise glory on the Swan River. There are walking paths around Kings Park and the River, as well as a tower you can climb for an even better view.
WA is famous as home of the majestic black swan, which you won’t find anywhere else in Australia. Go to Lake Mungo and you can see them in droves, but don’t get too close during nesting season as they can get nasty. Especially with anything smaller and therefore below them on the food chain, like kids or photo-happy Japanese tourists.
Perth even has its own island, Rottnest Island or ‘Rotto’ as locals call it. On Rotto you’ll find beautiful white sand beaches, a bike track around the entire island and loads of native wildlife including the quokka, a cute native marsupial resembling a large rat which you’ll only find on this island.
Built by convicts in the 1830’s and once an Aboriginal prison and Italian prison during the War, Rotto is now very PC to the point of being wind-turbine powered to save the environment and a car free zone. There’s only one way to get around Rottnest and that’s by bike - so you’d better be into pedal power! It’s a small island (19 square km in area), too big to walk around but the right size to bike around.
My friend Lizzie showed me how Perth locals do Rotto. Pack an industrial sized picnic food stash from the mainland and when you get to the island head straight to the bike hire to get your wheels. We cycled around the coast paths, through the old village and down to the Basin, just one of the stunning bays on the island, where you swim in crystal clear rockpools lined with white talcum-powder sand. This was followed by much cycling, fresh air, healthy picnic feasts and simply relaxing on the island’s many lovely beaches. Rotto is a place you just don’t want to leave. Give yourself two to three days here you’ll have time to do it all, and relax with a cold beer at your beach cabin or the island pub, where wild peacocks and their tiny chicks have the run of the place, roaming free around your feet and behind the bar.
My Venice Walking Tour
Posted , add a commentWhat’s the secret to Venice? Comfortable shoes.
But please, this does not mean you should throw style out the window. Venice is a stylish city. Paved in marble. Actually, more correctly I think it’s Istrian stone from across the Adriatic Sea in Croatia. Whatever it is, it’s hard. Very tiring on the legs and feet. After a few days of negotiating the labyrinthine streets, you’ll just want a Bellini, a seat and a foot rub.
Before you collapse, might I recommend taking a guided walk through Venice? The city is such an enigma wrapped in a mystery that to have someone who knows the way around can open it up like no guidebook or, heaven help us all, map. I have never in my life seen so many people gazing in complete incomprehension at maps – even turning them upside down doesn’t help. Venice resists easy navigation – it’s part of her charm.
Catch a different side of Venice on a walking tour
Walking the streets and canals of Venice
I took the Hidden Venice walking tour, which promised to take us off the beaten track without getting lost. It delivered. We twisted and turned our way through the oldest districts of Venice, behind the Rialto market. Fast-moving locals cutting through these backstreets to avoid tourists looked at us with despair: would we now come and fill up even these secret throughways? They can rest assured in the knowledge we’ll never find our way back in here – or out again – without our trusty guide.
And she was fantastic. So knowledgeable and passionate about the city; she covered such a range of history and modern life, gossip, restaurants, art and essentials that everyone was enthralled.
We started on the top of the Rialto Bridge. Crowds milled around but we found each other easily. The view from there is great. So much water traffic churning up and down the Grand Canal. I know it’s only the main road of a busy modern city, but when the vehicles have propellers not wheels it’s suddenly so much more interesting to watch.
Where the streets are paved in gold…
Something I didn’t know was that the palazzos lining the Grand Canal were once highly decorated with painted frescoes on the outside. Right next to the Rialto Bridge, a huge building that was once the offices and warehouses for the Germanic traders was painted by Titian no less! And the famous palazzo Ca’ D’Oro (dating from 1421), which means House of Gold, was actually gold!
But it’s all faded, crumbled off, been painted over. Until only a hundred years ago, these buildings were not really valued so no attempt was made to retain their original magnificence until the 20th century. Palazzo Salviati further down the canal towards San Marco has a glass-tiled frescoed fa?ade and gives an impression of what a trip down the Grand Canal must have been like when all the buildings had that level of decoration.
Mind you, Ca’ D’Oro is not so bad to look at even without its gold – it’s the prime example of what Ruskin termed Oriental Gothic for its mixing of Western and Arabic architectural styles.
From fish markets to back streets
We walked through the market, saw the wall plaque giving minimum fish sizes, learnt to read the one-armed 24-hour clock, saw the first banks in Europe and the marble hunchback holding the podium from which new laws were read to the population. We also found out that Venice is built on thousands of tree trunks embedded into the mud and saved from rotting by the salty water; that Venice became rich from having a monopoly on import and therefore on the trade taxes, and that the Pope once excommunicated the Venetians for trading with the ‘Infidels’ of the east.
Walking the back alleys of Venice
But then, as now, the Venetians are nothing if not pragmatic and they don’t care who comes to their city as long as their purse is full.
And then we plunged into the back streets. Narrow, dark, winding streets dating from the 12th century. This is where the market traders keep their goods outside of trading hours. I saw laundries servicing the many restaurants of Venice, doctors’ surgeries, a dentist’s office. It was like getting a peak backstage; so Venice is not all carnival masks and spruiking gondoliers! Thank goodness!
Crossing the Ponte de la Tette, we learnt its English translation and its reputation: the bridge of breasts. This was the edge of the red light district, where the many prostitutes came to advertise their goods. In the 13th century, prostitution was so rife in this port city, that the Doge (leader) and his government decided to push it all into one area. They chose the houses of the Rampane family – I do not want to speculate why. Being the house of the Rampanes’ it was Ca’ Rampane, and to this day the Venetian word for prostitute is Carampane. Not a great family name to have inherited…
As we wove our way past the best restaurant in Venice, Da Fiore (Calle del Scaleter 2002 2202A and yes, it is hidden in a narrow back street and the fine waiters did not look too fondly at the gawking tour group) and the house of printer Aldo Manucia who invented the pocketsize book at the end of the 1400s and revolutionised reading forever, we all exclaimed how far we had walked and how lost we were. The guide laughed and explained we were about five minutes direct walk away from the Rialto where we had started – that’s if we could find our way there.
Venice nearly without its canals
I think the most frightening thing she told us was that in the 19th century, those in charge started filling in the canals of Venice. Fifty were filled to enable people to walk rather than relying on gondolas, which were considered old-fashioned (not to mention expensive). Every street called a Rio Terre was once a canal and it’s easy to recognise them once you know – they are slightly wider and curved, and the house facades fronting onto them are much nicer. Venetian houses always had their backs to the streets, turning their best face to the canals. Which is lucky when you consider the house at the end of the narrowest street, which is only shoulder-width - if not for the canal door on the other side, that house would have to be filled with the skinniest furniture ever made.
There was even a plan to fill in the Grand Canal to make way for cars! Luckily this did not happen. Though in 2007 bicycles were legalised in Venice. Although good luck trying to ride through those streets and over the 400 bridges. I
noticed on this visit many more ramps being built across the bridges: I thought they were for prams and wheelie-suitcases but perhaps they are actually for bicycles ridden by the newly-wheeled locals. Not that I saw one bicycle; perhaps in the off-season when the crowds are less dense.
Along the way, our guide greeted at least half a dozen people and pointed out that Venice is not a place to have an affair: everyone knows where everybody else is and with whom all the time! At the end of a week, even I began to recognise people I passed in the streets.
Our walking tour ended at the Frari Church. I had been there before but not with a guide. This church is filled with magnificent treasures and laden with history. Most importantly, the Titian painting of the Ascension above the altar; it signifies the beginning of modern art as Titian broke all the rules of his day, and also caused huge religious debate due to the depiction of Mary ascending to Heaven directly. In 1518 this was completely outrageous. The guide showed us the most important things before she had to head off, leaving us to explore the rest of the church on our own.
Venice walking tips
One tip: if you are interested in looking at churches and the abundance of art in the churches of Venice buy a Chorus pass at the first one you visit it. This gets you into the churches you have to pay to visit and is valid for one year. It’s 9 euro and each church is 3 euro so you recoup the value pretty fast.
Another tip. Our guide gave me a piece of invaluable advice: walk fast. The shorter time your feet have in contact with the stone streets, the less tiring it is. So that’s why you see all the busy Venetians rushing from place to place. And all the meandering tourists looking completely exhausted and in pain.
I tried it – it seemed to help. There were only two problems: the meandering tourists got in my way, and I had no idea where I was going. It’s not easy walking fast, avoiding people, reading a map, turning corners, crossing bridges, all in streets ten feet wide. I won’t be forgotten easily by the many I passed. The bruises might fade but the memories of the crazy, speedwalking Australian may last a little longer.
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