A Different West Side

Editor, Publisher Mark Bunzel, along with Danielle and her parents who speak Italian, and ourselves as crew, welcomed the opportunity to cruise the canals of Italy located northeast of Venice.  The lush plains and hills of the Veneto area were hit hard by northern invaders during the decline of the Roman Empire; the Huns in 452 and the Lombards in 568.  Villages were devastated by the invaders, driving the survivors away in search of refuge; with no secure retreat on the mainland, the refugees made their way to the marshes of the nearby lagoon, which served as a hideaway between the land and the Adriatic Sea. 

Finding your way around Venice can be challenging

These people in their boats were the early founders of Venice, a remarkable city unlike any other.  Although living in the west, Venetians were beholden to imperial appointments that controlled government, and Roman Popes that controlled their church.  By the 13^th Century, Venice had a maritime empire that stretched across the Mediterranean Sea and had formed a free Republic.  Our departure on Air Canada from Vancouver BC, with a changeover at Montreal, brought us to Venice International.  We boarded a bus at the airport bound for Venice. 

Venice has many bridges

With our bags in-hand, we headed for our Air B&B in the heart of Venice; walking over foot bridges and through the narrow, twisting streets, we soon found it easier to hire a porter service to transport our bags in a street cart.  Our day was spent enjoying the cafés, and the sights and sounds of the Venetian culture. 

Gondola Wood Shop

One of our stops in Venice included a visit to a wood-working shop, where rudders are made and repaired for the local Gondolas, along with oars and oar locks. 

It is not well known among visitors that the metal piece on the bow of the Gondola is symbolic of the Doge’s (Duke’s or Governor’s) Hat; and the six metal teeth represent the six areas of Venice:  Cannaregio, Castello, Dorosoduro, San Marco, San Polo, and Santa Croce.  More recently, metal designs were added between the teeth on some of the Gondolas to represent the islands of Murano, Burano, and Torcello.  The ancient city of Venice, constructed over marsh land, is an engineering marvel. 

Venice Foundation Construction (illustration)

The buildings of Venice were built upon wooden platforms that were supported by wooden stakes driven into the ground.  According to documented construction, 1,106,657 wooden stakes measuring 4 meters (12 feet) were driven underwater for the construction of the Santa Maria Church alone.  Building a city in this manner was a huge undertaking.  Wood had to be obtained from the forests of Slovenia, Croatia and Montenegro, and transported to Venice by ship.  Due to the fact that the wooden posts and platforms are submerged underwater, they are not exposed to oxygen needed by microorganisms, so the foundation survives to this day.  The constant flow of salt water has petrified the wood over time, turning the wood into a hardened stone-like structure. 

The lagoon city of Venice is made up of 118 small islands connected by numerous bridges.  On occasion, Venice becomes flooded by as much as a meter (3 feet) due to heavy rain and high tides.  Raised plank walkways are laid down and many of the shops sell disposable rain boots during the “aqua alta phenomenon.”  Attempts have been made to mitigate the problem, namely the construction of mobile floodgates separating the lagoon from the Adriatic, used when the tide exceeds the usual high-water mark.  It remains to be seen if these measures will protect Venice for years to come.

If you would like more information on Canal Boating in Europe, or to book a canal boat trip for 2019, contact Mark Bunzel, (mark.bunzel@gmail.com) for information and briefings on canal boat trips in France and Italy now being planned.