Introducing Venice

At

4.00pm

, almost sun-set, on an icy but crystal clear winters afternoon I was interrupted in my quiet reading by Astrid, our mini schnauzer, who suddenly began to growl her “I spy strangers” alarm.  On nipping to the balcony I was just in time to see four sleek black boats drifting in formation – each one accommodating a well wrapped up couple.  In one an accordionist and a tenor standing in the bows were serenading their audience as the gondolas progressed down the

Grande

Canal

towards the Piazza San Marco becoming pink in the low afternoon sun.

For I was in Venice and in what other place in the world would such a beautiful and romantic event occur and not seem at best out of place and at worst tackily touristy.  But here is seemed like the most normal of mid-winter pastimes.

This web guide is partial in all senses of the word.  That is I will leave a lot out, but what I do include will be there because I have personally found it to be interesting.  Sometimes I will draw your attention to the history or to great art and architecture.  But unlike many writers I am just as interested in the modern

Venice

.  But at all times I try to highlight the authentic, whether it be serious, ancient, amusing or modern.

A tourist visiting any city will tend to be  directed to its history – and in

Venice

that history is extraordinarily rich.  But culture is a continuing process.  Of course I want to tell you about why Gondolas are the shape that they are.  Have you observed yet that they are unsymmetrical?  But I think you might also be just as interested to note how modern transport works in the city – how the rubbish is collected and how the police get around.

For in spite of being an historic city which welcomes countless tourists all year round,

Venice

is also a place where people live, work, learn, fall in love and die.  A Cup of Coffee in the Square will be a personal introduction to the cities of the world, getting beyond the normal tourist sights and giving some clues to what it might be like to live in them.