Views in Venice

“Aah, Venice”, as old Indiana Jones used to say. Just like places like NYC and Paris, this island is forever destined to appear frequently on the big screen. With 118 islands, 150 canals and 400 bridges there is a lot of scenic locations.

However, the city is also connected to an infamous impending doom. It is predicted that by year 2028 the city will completely go underwater, which is only ten years from now.

Art installation in the Grand Canal, symbolizing the threat of flooding.

In a way, this mood is something very closely related to the faded walls of Venice. Once you look past the tourists at Cafe Florian and the merry gondoliers, there is something elusive in the corner of your eye, just down that empty alley to your left. It reminds me of the “hüzün” of Istanbul and the “saudade” of Porto. A sense of melancholy stuck in the very walls, forever in silent anguish.

I ponder the fate of Venice as I walk down that narrow alley, listening carefully.