T R AV E L V O L U M E I ve n i ce i t al y AMY BERRY
ve n i ce i t al y E n g i n e e r s love Ven ice — a com pl etel y m an-m ade env i ronm ent r i si ng f ro m t h e se a , w it h n o visible mea n s of suppor t. Rom anti c s rev el i n i ts atm osphe re of e l e g a n t decay, seein g t h e p eel i ng pl aster and seaweed-c ov ered stai r s a s a me ta p h or for bea u t y in declin e. And fi r st-ti m e v i si tor s are of ten sti r red dee ply, a w a k i n g from t h eir ordin a r y liv es to a fantasy wor l d unl i k e any thi ng the y’ ve e ve r e xp e rien ced before. B u ilt on a hundred i sl ands wi th weal th from tr a de w i th t h e Ea st , it s ex ot ic-looking pal ac es are l ac ed together by sun-speck le d c a n a l s. T h e ca r-free st reet s suddenl y m ak e wal k er s feel bi g, i m por tant, a n d l i b e r a te d. I t ’s ba sically on e giant am usem ent par k for grown-ups, c enturie s i n t h e ma kin g. B y day, Ven ice i s a c i ty of m useum s and c hurc hes, pac k ed wit h g re a t a r t . Lin ger over lu n ch , tr y i ng to c r ac k a c r ustac ean wi th wei rd le gs a n d a n ten n ae. At n igh t , w h en the hordes of day -tr i pper s hav e gone, ano t h e r Ve n i c e a ppea r s. D a n ce a cross a fl oodl i t square. Gl i de i n a gondol a throu gh q u i e t c a n a ls w h ile mu sic ech oes ac ross the water. Pretend i t’s Carnev al e time , d o n a m a sk — or ju st a fresh shi r t — and bec om e som eone el se for a ni gh t .