Venice

Located at the head of the Adriatic Sea, Venice is a collective of 118 islands connected by a network of 150 narrow canals and 400 steep stepped bridges. Venice was founded in the 3^rd century by refugees from the mainland hiding from the Huns. Venice quickly became a major sea trading port for the Adriatic Sea. Much of the Holy Crusades used Venetian ships further adding to the wealth of Venice.

St Marks Square is described as “a great marble salon” open to the sky. It is in the centre of Venice where, in the oppressively hot open courtyard, a cacophony of sound with chiming bells, violins, concert piano’s, flapping pigeon wings, songlike Italian phrases and screams of uncontrolled children mixes into an orchestral melody of life. This is Venice.

Sitting in the shadow of the Basilica San Marco, built in 830 BC, never has a simple cappuccino and croissant been such a dining experience and for only 20 euro’s, a bargain I am told.

Venice is a working city encased in Medieval stone laced with aromatic green coloured canals and sometimes shoulder-width walkways. Once you leave St Marks and the Grand Canal the sea breeze dissipates, the temperature rises and the air thickens. All the usual shops exist and the Venetians buzz about their working day as in any other city, albeit mostly by motorized water taxi. The gondolas are the stuff of tourists, mostly.

Origin of the word “Ghetto” – Ghetto was originally used in Venice in the 5th century to describe the area where Jews chose to live in a tight single ethnic group, on the island called Gheto. A ghetto is now described as an overcrowded urban area often associated with a specific ethnic or racial population.