Poor, poor Venice; the footfall of overweight tourists is making it sink ever lower in the lagoon and the Adriatic is rising, not problems that will be solved here.
The solutions on the drawing board are completely opposed, making one wonder if it will ever be saved. One possibility is to have a barrier that will allow the lagoon to be lower than the Adriatic but this would create a freshwater lagoon. The other idea is to have a sort of Thames barrier that can be closed temporarily but will, unlike Plan A, allow cruise ships in. However, the lagoon will still be saltwater and fishermen would be able to continue to ply their trade.
If we cannot decide on a new airport for London, who are we to advise the Venetians. Instead come with me for two shop-portunities in Venice. First, Gianni Basso (and his son’s) printing shop.
It’s a tiny place near Santa Maria dei Miracoli with examples of their work displayed in the window. His clients’ names will be familiar: Hugh Grant and Nigella Lawson when I was there. He uses 18th century letterpresses to create beautiful, somewhat pricey, cards and invitations and so on. I bought bookplates as presents. He shuns websites, e mail and credit cards so you need to be wedged-up with cash. He has not totally turned his back on modern life as I had to pick up the bookplates before he zoomed up to the mountains for a long weekend skiing.
Next, Loris Marazzi, who has moved from Campo Santa Margherita to near the Peggy Guggenheim Museum. He carves everyday items, often clothes, in wood but will turn his hand to marble and bronze if he thinks you can afford it. Here is what I bought.
His work is realistic which means that mine has been chipped twice by people accidentally brushing it off its hook. A better momento of a visit to Venice than this lot, no?
But not as good as the Waterford glass chandelier that an ancestor bought very cheaply in Venice and shipped back to Ireand where it hangs in the hall at Barmeath. The Venetians preferred their home-produced and gaudier glass.