so thanks to the biennale, whether it's the art or the architecture one, venezia has officially became the city in italy, which i didn't live in, that i visited the most. now this has became tricky. the thing is, during my first two visits, venezia remained as the city in italy that i disliked the most. because i expected so much out of it, yet it has somehow lost its soul to tourism. i said tricky because the relation between the cityscape itself and the biennale as an important event to me might have confused me. because i was so focused on the biennale, i only got to visit the touristic part of the city, which made me unable to experience it on its best.
on this third visit, i finally was able to say that i don't hate venezia as much as i used to. altho still i won't put it on a list as one of my favorite cities in italy. i enjoyed it mainly because we roamed around the main island very late at night, where most shops, restaurants, and all those touristic things had closed. and also we went to lots of alternative routes instead of just taking the main route from the train station straight to giardini and arsenale, as i always did. and there, i experienced the magic, the soul, of venezia, in the middle of the night. on which it was so silent and empty, my imagination could run wild imagining what it would be like, the life that once happened there.
and also, fact is we stayed on another island, lido, which was completely a different experience than the main island, and we stayed on the sandy beach drinking russian vodka in the middle of the dark night. and it was also the first time i got to visit murano tho it was a little too late so i didn't get to see lots of the glass making industry. and also burano, the little wonder that i really enjoyed. houses in colors line up so beautifully yet somehow it didn't feel fake.
the fact that venezia is a city alive and run for tourists is of course inevitable and is pitiful. and altho i'm still wishing someday i would be able to sense venezia the way i did in this little turkish city, i'm glad somehow i finally was able to at least sense the spirit of the place which i've been looking for. and if the biennale continues to be held in venezia, i'm absolutely sure i will get to experience it once again. like it or not. haha.
