Venezia is Not Sinking

In 1973 we were told that Venice was sinking and would not survive another 20 years. Thankfully that turned out not to be true, but the city still hangs by a thread, only this time financially. The population here has dropped precipitously since 1950, so tax revenues are poor and the city is bankrupt. The mayor has made some controversial but necessary decisions including plastering billboards on tourist sights--an ad for Moet on San Marco Square and an ad for Bulgari on The Bridge of Sighs. He has to allow the enormous schweinsteiger cruise ships into the port (and they go right past San Marco) because of all those tourist dollars. Unfortunately, this means the buildings continue to be damaged by the pollution and boat wakes.

We try to focus on the positives--it is a Renaissance city and feels like it. There are very few hints of modernism here (apart from motorboats), and where else can you find that?

Since we have had the best weather (crystal clear September days), we stayed outside much of the time (although we did hit the Accademia museum to see those elusive Titians, but not very enthusiastically). Then Philip and I did the unthinkable--got a babysitter and went out to dinner at Da Fiore (recommended by Elizabeth and Lee Roesch--I forgot to mention that we SAW Lee in Florence; she arrived just as we were leaving). After a massive plate of fish, we took the Vaporetto (boat bus) to the Basilica, listened to our favorite foxy female quintet play some Strauss, then strolled back to the hotel. Our last night in Venice. Sniff.