Day Seven - The Winged Lion

The Quiet Neighborhoods of Venezia (Click to Enlarge)

The Busy Streets of Venezia

Fai Finds New Friends

The Winged Lion Graces the Flag of Venezia

The Winged Lion Represents the Ever-Watchful Eye and Presence of Venezia Over its Conquered Territories

I set off on my own to see some of the more residential areas of Venezia. I walked north from Zecchini, away from the main streets, into the Jewish Ghetto, thought to be named after "borghetto," Italian for "small neighborhood." Watching the residents go about their daily lives outside the tourist zones was very enjoyable. I could hear music coming from several homes, as they prepared pranzo.

I walked around for quite some time and became pretty lost. A lot of the streets and alleys do not go all the way through and you have to turn back and try again. The people I encountered were all very helpful, pointing and gesturing the right path to me though I had never asked.

I found my way back to the hotel and Fai and I set forth into the city where we browsed and shopped for hours. With no automobiles allowed, the busier streets are filled with stands selling various goods and lots and lots of people.

The numerous merchants in Venezia are very competitive with each other, leading to lower prices overall. It's a great place to shop, especially prior to the August 15 holiday, Assumption of Mary, when almost everything closes.

We returned to Piazza San Marco for a daylight view and some pasta and a nearby ristorante. During the day, thousands of pigeons fill the square where they are fed by the many visitors. We each took a turn contributing to this process, under the watchful eye of the Winged Lion.

The Winged Lion is to Venezia what the Bald Eagle is the USA, as far as symbolism goes. You see it everywhere throughout the city, in paintings, sculptures, flags, and most prominently, overlooking Piazza San Marco on the Column of San Marco, which stands at the gateway to Venezia by sea.

The front paw of the lion is always on the bible, indicating Venezia's independent nature, not accepting the dominance of the church. The lion is also always standing with his front feet over land and back feet over the sea, signifying military strength by both land and sea.

Feeling fully protected by the numerous winged lions, we continued browsing the various shops and purchased some gifts and souvenirs.

Day Eight