L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 2021 www.italoamericano.org 6 NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS views on the slipway near R i o d e l l a S e n s a , a l l t h e way to the campo dell'Ab- bazia. A forced turn bring us in front of the imposing architectural complex of t h e S c u o l a G r a n d e d i Santa Maria della Miseri- cordia, today home to art exhibits and events, with a glorious past as home to t h e R e y n e r V e n e z i a basketball team and as a film set, most recently for F a r i b o r z K a m k a r i ' s 2 0 1 5 P i t z a e D a t t e r i , starring Giuseppe Batti- ston. Most of the movie was set in the Cannaregio sestiere, with the Scuola transformed for the occa- sion in the local muslim community's new mosque. Now, it's time to leave the most intimate, placid Venezia and head to my final destination. To please t h e m o s t c o m m e r c i a l o f Venezia's lovers, I walk the last part of Strada Nova, all the way to Campo San Bortolo to pay my most heartfelt tribute to Vene- tian comedy and to Carlo G o l d o n i , w h o s e s t a t u e dominates the square. I could have cut short and walked straight to campo Santa Maria Formosa, it's true, but I have a good rea- son for my choice. Just a few minutes from campo S a n B o r t o l o , w e f i n d Campo Sant'Angelo. If, instead of going straight, you'll dare walk deep into the heart of town, along the small calli leading to C a n a l G r a n d e , y o u m a y have the luck to end up in Calle del Traghetto and, from there, directly on the water. Here, you'll even find a small pier to enjoy the coming and going of v a p o r e t t i a n d m e r c h a n t boats: beware of the latter, because some of them may n e e d t o s t o p j u s t w h e r e you stand and, if you don't move quickly enough, your chaste ears may have to listen to all sorts of color- ful dialectal expressions. After this example of, let us say, poetry, it's time to reach the triumphal climax of our walk. I ' m w a l k i n g f a s t e r . Knowing Venezia means g e t t i n g e v e r y w h e r e i n a short time. And so, in just a handful of minutes, I am in Campo San Fantin, b e t w e e n t h e A t e n e o Veneto, the oldest cultu- ral institution in Venice, founded in 1812, and the glorious La Fenice Thea- tre. I walk through Frez- zaria, along the entrance of t h e M u s e o C o r r e r a n d , finally, here I am in Piaz- z a S a n M a r c o . I w a l k with determination. I greet S a n M a r c o ' s b e l f r y ( e l paron de casa —the land- lord— as Venetians lovin- g l y c a l l i t ) a n d P a l a z z o Ducale and I walk between the columns of San Todaro and San Marco, the two patron saints of Venezia. A s h i v e r r u n s t h r o u g h m y soul: it's all here in front of me: the lagoon, its islands, the Madonna della Salute church, the Canal Grande. I could say goodbye to you here, in front of such splendor. But I'd like to make you one last gift. I jump on the first ferry and go all the way to the isola del Lido, to San Nicolò, where the ferryboat station is. On the ferry, I walk to the highest deck and enjoy my short trip, half an hour at most. From there, I can s e e a d i f f e r e n t V e n i c e : Sant'Elena, the first Vene- tian settlement, and Riva degli Schiavoni, all the way to the San Marco basin. What I saw earlier from the square, now I observe from the water. The ferry turns into the canal della Giudecca. L a G i u d e c c a i s a n i n c r e d i b l e i s l a n d , a l l t o discover. On the opposite side, the lengthy Fonda- menta delle Zattere, per- fect location for a walk, but very hot during the sum- m e r m o n t h s . T h e f e r r y finally reaches land again at the Tronchetto. I get off at Piazzale Roma, ready to start yet another tour of the lagoon and discover historical palaces, legends, masks and Venezia's typi- cal beauty, so powerful and fragile at the same time. Happy birthday, Vene- zia. I'll see you in 2071, to celebrate your 1650 years. Continued from page 4 Rialto bridge, a symbol of Venice (Photo: Tomas Marek/Dreamstime) "Venezia: what could I say about you that hasn't been said already, what could I write to honor you adequately? What's the best way to celebrate the 1600 years of one of the most marvelous cities in the world?" Gondolieri taking a break along a canal (Photo: Rachel Blunden/Dreamstime)

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