Venice

#VeniceFloatingCity
The entire area rests on wooden logs that were driven into the mud and did not rot out because of the lack of oxygen in those depths

The History
Refugees escaping the barbarian invasions began settling on these marshy islands around 421AD
They hammered millions of sharpened alder, oak and pine timber deep into the soft bottom until it hit a dense compressed layer of clay
The posts slowly mineralized and hardened into a stone like structure
 over the centuries

 

No Cars Allowed
Venice has no roads so i took advantage of the water taxis and if your looking for a civic address the city does not work this way
So use the professionals if trying to locate a building, as the area is numbered by districts so
 generally you go by landmarks and not a digit

Ban on Any Wheels
Because of the narrow and crowded streets even pushing a bicycle is not allowed, skateboards
plus rollerblades are also a no no

St Marks Square
It sits just above sea level, so during some high tides its always the first
 neighborhood to flood

Old History
Before it was paved into its elegant stone we see today, in the 9th century it was just a marshy
 vegetable patch
Speaking of food; to preserve the historic integrity of the area the city enforces strict rules about consuming your own food and beverages here
It could cost you hundreds of Euros in fines, so there is your KeyTip for saving money today

Black Gondolas
In the 1500s it was a law enacted to stop the wealthy citizens from showing off with their flashy colored decorations and also to reduce
the class rivalry between the private and public boats

Smart Asymmetrical Design
They are purposely built lopsided (left side is about 25 cms or 10 inches wider than the right) as this unequal shape counteracts the push of the single oar, which then allows the gondolier to glide into a straight line without switching sides

Woodwork
It takes more then 280 individual pieces of oak, cherry, walnut, larch and mahogany
 to build a single vessel
Then it is all crafted by hand and takes hundreds of hours to complete

School
There are only 400 active gondola licenses that requires hundreds of hours of training in history,
foreign languages and rowing

The Aquatic Roads
There are speed limits for the boat traffic here at 5 knots, with the exception being the
emergency vessels

A) Polizia; they take a nautical training course over three months and also are required to memorize the
layout of the city. 
Also needed is to study how the fluctuating low and high tides effect the bridge clearances plus the
canals accessibility during reduced water levels

B) Firemen; they have specialized watercrafts packed with retractable ladders, breathing
apparatuses, heavy-duty hoses and centrifugal pumps
While they could pump the water directly from the canals in extreme emergencies, they have a hydrant network built throughout the city
As the saltwater from the channels is highly corrosive and would damage the historic architecture here, so they avoid that option 
 
C) Deliveries; packages arrive near a local transit hub near the lagoon, then they are loaded onto boats that navigate the canals and the final part of this journey is by foot
That person is wheeling his/her handcarts over the pedestrian bridges and through the
narrow streets

Over Tourism
I have been here three times and have seen the effects of this and it has reached
a critical tipping point
Roughly 30 million visitors overwhelm this fragile city that has less than 50,000
full-time residents

Access Fee
Venice became the first city in the world to charge an entry for for the day, its 5 Euro for booking ahead and 10 for last minute
Personally i think its great as the impact on the infrastructure and environment does not have a price
 as we need to protect both from decay
Add in the economic fall out; as the independent shops, bakeries and other services are being replaced by souvenir stalls plus fast food eateries all to cater to the daytrippers
This in the end result, leaves the citizens here with fewer neighborhood resources

Population Collapse
With skyrocketing property values driven up by the short term holiday rentals, some locals are forced to move to the mainland
In 1971 the historic center numbers were at 109,000 and recently has dipped below 48,000

400 Bridges
It helps connect the area and its 118 small islands, but there are only four that cross the
famous Grand Canal
With the Rialto as the only pedestrian span that was in use for three centuries,
 before the others were built

Marco Polo
He was born here to a wealthy merchant family, then at age 17 spent much of his life
 traveling (24 years) abroad
After he was captured by the arch rivals of the time The Genoa Republic,
it was then once imprisoned he wrote "The Travels"

KeyTip
You can actually tour past his old home but your not allowed to go inside

Ancient Empire
It was an independent maritime superpower that lasted for over 1000 years (697-1797)

Cool Culture
A) Clao; the global greeting came form the Venetian phrase "s ciavo" meaning
at your service
B) Mask Rules; during the 17th century wearing a Carnival mask was only allowed to specific holidays, as people used them to hide their identities from the local government
or to commit crimes

My Mask While Here
Something to be said that in those times, it allowed rich and poor (who all wore the same face covering) to mingle without judgment or consequence 

Quarantine
The word started here in the 1300s, as ships had to wait 40 days offshore (quarantena) before
being allowed to dock with people or cargo
It was a preventative measure for the ongoing Black Death pandemic during these scary times,
  as an estimated 25 to 50 million people died in Europe from this disease
 So with good reason to be cautious and prudent