SBS does Venice

SBS is screening a great series on Venice. Venice 24/7. Wednesday night at 8.30pm it covers the daily workings of the Fire, Police and Medical crews who provide support to the inhabitants of this unique city. The episode I watched last night had a focus on the recent visit of Pope Benedict XVI. With 100 churches in a three mile radius, this was always going to be a major logistical challenge. 2000 security personnel have been appointed to deal with the planning and implementation of the visit, in addition to the Vaticans own securi forces who travel with the Pope. Large crowds are expected within Piazza San Marco, the main destination point for the Pontif and his entourage. Not unexpectedly the key risk for events of this scale is " people falling into the water". It is the Fire Crews who respond to these emergencies and rescue people from the canals and waterways. They even undertake rigorous training to learn how to deal with exactly these situations. Giancarlo, Franco and Bruno are three of the four gondoliers selected to transport the Pontiff by boat. The selection process is extreme with a panel appointed to determine which of the hundreds of applicants will be selected for such an honour. The guys get together to discuss whether it is an option to "go slower so that they get to spend more time with the Pope". The men raise their oars in the traditional salute, and then receive a blessing from the Pope by way of thanks. It is evident this is a big moment for each of the men. Resplendent in specially designed new uniforms they are beaming with pleasure. Having now had the pleasure of zipping around in a golf buggy at Hamilton Island, I was amused to see that Pope Benedict's special transport for his visit was a custom made six seat buggy (officially known as a Pope mobile) with special police driver. This driver too practice travelling the route across Piazza San Marco to check for time frames and stability of the vehicle on the paving stones. God forbid we're the Pontiff to be shaken around at all. Funnily enough the Doges Palace was converted to a modern medical facility to act as a mobile field hospital to deal with medical emergencies within the crowds but simultaneously acted as the overnight accommodation for Pope Benedict. Hopefully not in triage, but in a separate palatial wing. Next focus was planning for the Venice Biennale with pop up art galleries in houses, churches and moorings. A six month celebration of modern art that takes over Venice every two years. Again, the logistics are incredible and interesting to follow as they show the installation of Jan Favre's Pietas's at Scuola de Misercordia in Cannareggio. The same area that Orsoni is situated and whose streets we walked so recently. Then similar coverage of the installation of Anish Kapoor's Ascension in San Giorgio Maggiore, a Palladian designed church where I first experienced Gregorian chanting.

By the time they showed a gas leak in Calle del Fumo I was literally bouncing off the couch. This is the street that the incredible glass master Vittorio Costantini has his workshop in! Having just been to see him, exploring Venice, breathing her scents and absorbing all this incredible city has to offer it was inspiring to see it all again so soon. Right in front of me, but just out of reach. As for next weeks episode? It looks at how the city deals with continually rising waters as the city itself sinks. Aqua alto here I come!

A true artist

For our first day in Venice we decided we would try to find Vittorio' s glass workshop. Meeting Vittorio and his wife was a highlight from my previous visit to Venice. Vittorio is a true master craftsman, and his work is known internationally, with a strong following in the US.  His shop is a true treasure trove with little "armies" of birds, insects, fish, and other creatures lined up on display.   A lot of the pieces are from his private collection, and as such, are not for sale. These are the pieces he deems worthy of keeping.  Like any true artisan he is very particular and if a piece is not perfect he will not keep it.  Almost perfect pieces he will sell.  Any others he is not happy with are not available.  While small, the shop is bursting at the seams.  His workbench too is here, as his his reference library.  When I first came to Venice in 2006, Vittorio had no reference to Australian birds.  I made myself a promise if I ever returned to bring him an Australian bird book to add to his collection.  This I did.  In the interim of course, he has got one.  A different edition to the exact one I brought.  He seemed touched though that I brought him the book, and exchanged it for one of his catalogues.  Very kind of him. Vittorio speaks basically no English, his wife generally translates, although she was not at the shop today.  So we made do with both of us chatting away, and smiling a lot.   I gave Vittorio one of my new business cards, with the little Rainbow Bee Eater on it. He genuinely loved it, then took an image from his wall to show me... a micro mosaic of a bee eater which his friend had made.  I am sure he will add my card to the display of items on his wall. The process of selecting one of Vittorio's pieces to bring home is a pure joy.  Last time I purchased a bird each for Mum and Mr T.  This time I chose a piece for me. While it was always going to be a bird, with 100 or so to choose from, it was a challenge.  The window display was entirely birds, and some cabinets were dedicated solely for birds too.  Frank liked a large hummingbird, and while it was exquisite with metallic sheen gleaming across its "feathers" it didn't touch me the same as some of the smaller birds.  So, back to choosing. I finally had a short list - one smaller hummingbird.  Selected from three he was beautiful and as I am also looking at doing a mosaic hummingbird had certain appeal. Frank liked a little Kingfisher, complete with fish hanging from beak.  Yes, he too was gorgeous.  Eventually though I settled on a little Italian bird.  A Cinciarella he is a little yellow and blue bird, with a seed in his beak.  Very chubby and cute. As for Frank?  His final choice, which I did not see coming, was a large spider!  The delicacy of his legs (the spiders, not Frank's) has to be seen to be believed....this is what makes Vittorio the artisan he is. With a final hug and a photo we left Vittorio and his beautiful studio, both clutching our parcels, smiling and knowing that this would be one of the highlights of our trip. 23.10.2012