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June 25, 2022

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Venice's "to see and admire" list comprising floating palaces, historic bridges and the city's jewel in the crown, the St.Mark's Square with its legendary/omnipresent pigeons overfed by thousands of tourists on a daily basis, is quite big and impressive. A similar "to experience" list is significantly smaller but equally stunning and, in some way, even more unique. It stars, above all, gondolas and Murano glass factory.

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While aquataxies are mere means of transportation, long, sharp-nosed, multi-coloured, velvet-lined gondolas are, first and foremost, a cultural phenomenon providing its passengers with an opportunity of total immersion in the city's spirit and traditions. Arguably, Venice's most famous tradition is its collective gondolier - a Jack (or should I say, Giacomo) of all trades juggling the hats of a boatman, a tour guide, a street entertainer and a singer. It is to that latter capacity that the world of music owes one of its most romantic and distinctive song genres - barcarolle (literally translated as "boatman song"). Barcarolles may be also considered that ace up Venice's imaginary sleeve that sets its gondolas apart from Christchurch punts and Vienna Fiakers (stylish horse-drawn carriages used mostly by nobles to move around several centuries ago) 

 

As for Venice's second superstar, if the Murano glass factory were allowed to share only one fact to establish its reputation, it would probably mention that mirrors it had produced since times immemorial used to cost more than Raphael's paintings of the same size! Add that quality and reputation to a number of marketing tricks the factory has been using for quite a while, and it's not really surprising that the island of Murano gradually turned into something like a pilgrimage site. Right in front of numerous guests, local glassblowers handle fire in a way any fakir would be proud of - and very few fakirs could turn a shapeless, colourless mass of sand, mixed with soda ash and limestone, into a cute green bell dotted with golden and silvery marks. Then such a bell, quite literally hot off the blowpipe, is being delivered to the factory souvenir shop conveniently located right on the other side of the production area exit door... I dared myself not to buy a pair of those bells - and lost the challenge! 

 

 

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July 2, 2022

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Many wonders are quite conspicuous, while some others are located away from beaten tracks, and they have to be looked for and sought after. However, almost all such wonders are easy to recognize when they are in front of you - unlike very few special wonders that are never found in front of you because they are literally everywhere at the same time. One such wonder is language.

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English is a gender-neutral language as almost everything that doesn't breathe is referred to as "it". (Purists even believe that the same pronoun should be applied to animals but they would be wise never to mention that opinion in front of pet-owners - just like it's highly advisable never to tell a sailor that his ship is a mere "it"). As a result, our language remains quite objective, scientific and, one might even say, politically correct but the situation with many other major languages is strikingly different.  For example, our "city" turns into an Italian "citta" - a very similarly sounding word but one that belongs to the female gender, and that one fact completely changes the way those "citta"s perceive themselves and are viewed by the rest of the world. It defies explanation and borders on mysticism but very soon upon arrival at an Italian city, one begins to discern its distinct personal characteristics and behavioral patterns.

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The heroine of the last several entries, Venice, is a high-ranking aristocrat (countess or duchess) acutely aware of her birthright and all the privileges associated with it. She is haughty and very demanding when it comes to her social circle, and her communication with everybody is very proper. The aura of authority she gives off is so strong that, no matter how wealthy or successful those around her are, only precious few dare consider themselves as her equals... 

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July 9, 2022

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It takes several days and multiple experiences to discern Venice's personality but all one needs to divine that of Milan is to take one long look at the city cathedral.

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In my highly subjective opinion, Gothic cathedrals - alongside Mozart's music - are the most convincing proof of human collective genius (those who chose Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" for the Time Capsule sent into outer space in 1977 to represent humanity before alien civilizations, would undoubtedly have their own say in that matter). I saw many of them, and most are rather impressive while some - like the Cathedral of Cologne - are outright remarkable. Yet, when I saw the "Milano Duomo" for the first time, I felt speechless - quite literally, because I immediately ran out of superlatives. That black golden wonder reminded me of the Original Seven. In that particular moment, I was seriously considering a possibility of believing in God because who else would possibly manage to illustrate the concept of "harmony" in its entirety, and with such precision?!

The Cathedral is the ultimate "illusions seller" (it's easy to come close to it, even to touch its walls, but its heart and soul, the spires, are high in the sky, completely out of reach) - and so is the city of Milan. A strikingly beautiful and somewhat remote, charming and smart, and endlessly ambitious movie star (just like the Cathedral, she reaches for the sky and believes it to be her only limit), she pretends to be one of her elusive characters - and successfully convinces even those who know her personally!

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To be fair, I have to mention that the interior of the Cathedral is every bit as solemn, beautiful and

harmonious as one would expect such a place to be - it's just that it pales before the spired phenomenon like even an outstanding Talent pales before a pure Genius...

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July 16, 2022

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As if the Gothic Wonder wasn't enough to turn the Cathedral Square in Milan into one of the most remarkable places on Earth, a galleria was built right next to the cathedral in the third quarter of the 19th century. Named after Victor Emmanuel II (the first king of the unified Italy), and styled after several popular shopping arcades scattered throughout Europe, the galleria was to become yet another place of commerce - and one trying to benefit from the proximity to a major tourist attraction. While having indeed become a high-end shopping mall, the galleria owes to its prominent neighbour much more than a throng of customers it was hoping for.  In other words, the cathedral did affect and even shape the galleria but in a much less predictable and more subtle (and even mysterious) way.

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The galleria has haute couture, jewelry, paintings, rare books and many similar things - as well as expensive restaurants and hotels - on its collective offer but so do many other malls and individual stores where people come for no other reason but  to buy whatever is sold there. However, there is at least one other reason to visit the "king's palace" - namely, to feast the eyes on its frescos and stained glass windows, multicoloured floor mosaic and golden pilasters, all that enhanced by perfect geometric shapes. Churches and cathedrals are also known as "temples of God" - building on that metaphor, one could say that the great cathedral shared with the neighbouring galleria its temple status, thus turning a mundane structure into a temple devoted to the god of beauty and perfection (if only there were one such in the Greek mythology). Equally remarkable, its creators managed to turn a famous Biblical story on its head by inviting merchants to the temple rather than chasing them from it!

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July 23, 2022

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Two wonders on the same square is already an overkill. Three? That would be beyond description - so, it is fortunate that the famous La Scala opera house is located not on the Cathedral Square but rather 350 meters away from it, Victor Emmanuel galleria connecting the two. The connection is very much by design as it symbolizes the unity between the religious/spiritual soul of the city and the cultural/secular one.

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There are not so many renowned opera houses in the world. Some (like Sydney's "ship with billowing sails") are celebrated for their unique architectural design, others - for their opulence of the interior or even scale of operations (the Metropolitan Opera in New-York has for decades presented 27 operas each year!). La Scala is in the league of its own when it comes to the reputation and quality of its performers because the who-is-who of the opera world has forever regarded being invited to sing there as the ultimate honour and recognition of their professional excellence. It's not by chance that one of the most sought after souvenirs one can buy in the La Scala shop is...a poster featuring that or another undisputed opera star. I said "poster" because that's what they formally are but "painting" might a better word. On a personal note, one such refined and deeply psychological portrait of young Maria Callas has for decades been my most prized art-related possession.

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All the above might explain why off-season tours in the building remain one of the hottest tickets in Milan. Rather inexpensive, they offer the visitors an opportunity to soak in the elusive magic of the place - to lounge in a sumptuous armchair and feast their eyes on the heavy curtain adorned with jewels, the ornate ceiling, the shining chandelier, and even more shining loges heavily decorated with gold... After a while, one realizes that the Guardian Angel of Arts keeps his vigil over the unique "Staircase" even in the off-season.

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