A Pilgrim's Progress: Superstition, the Sacred and a String Quartet

I think yesterday was the most unique day of the pilgrimage so far. Up until this point our journey has included some incredible historical wonders, magnificent architecture, and rich culture. But nothing we had witnessed to date could be compared to the sights and sounds of the floating city. I refer, of course, to Venice.

The moment we stepped off our water taxi on to the island of San Marco, we knew we were in for something different. I was immediately struck by the vibrant colours, not only of the buildings, but of the people, the dresses, the masks and the stalls. Another thing I noticed quite quickly was the hike in prices. San Marco, being and island, has to have everything shipped to it by boat, and carried around on carts by hand because their are no vehicles allowed. It makes sense then, that some services tax might apply.

First step off the boat.

I was amazed when I heard that Venice was not a natural island, but held up completely by wooden stakes that had been hammered into the mud 100's of years ago. It makes sense that as time goes on, many of the buildings in Venice have begun to develop a bit of a lean. Here is a picture of a bell tower that I saw in the first few minutes of stepping onto "solid" ground.

First thing on the agenda was a visit to St. Mark's Square. It was pretty obvious that this city was obsessed with their patron evangelist. Statues and pictures of the symbolic lion adorned everything from the top of giant columns, to mosaics on buildings to small plaques in gelato shops.

Note the lion atop the pillar and try to ignore Ezra's shameless photobomb.

"Immediately" we continued on to the Basilica of St. Mark (biblical scholars will understand). It was illegal to take pictures inside so I can't show you the amazing mosaics that flooded every surface with a burst of golden light and colour. Quite incredibly, the marble floor felt like we were walking on a wavy surface. Over the course of centuries some of the aforementioned pillars had began to give way, leading to a very bumpy walk through the nave. Praying at the tomb of one of the four evangelists blew my mind. Sadly, I quite literally did not have time to comprehend the reality of what was taking place. I hope that retroactive graces might be applied as I contemplate the experience over the following days.

The city of Venice itself is amazing. It's known for its atmosphere of luxury and romance. Skipping the latter, I and a few of my new friends decided to taste some Venetian delights. We settled on cafe Florian, which supposedly was the spot where the likes of Napoleon and Michelangelo may have eaten (huge question mark on that one). Nevertheless, the experience was appreciated by all, and despite the price tag, no one walked away with regret. Here are some snaps of the experience...

To give you an idea, it cost €6 pp just to sit down and hear the orchestra play. (Mind you they sounded incredible)

Straight after lunch we met a new tour guide who took us through the Doge's Palace (The doge was the leader). Although filled with the work of much artistic beauty there were two main highlights for me. The Dropbox (pictures below) where political accusations were posted. Each accusation placed in the carved letterbox was investigated, and if it was found to be serious and true, the accused was beheaded. If not, the accuser copped the punishment they wished upon the other. Along with this ran the superstition that liars would be bitten by the Dropbox if they intentionally submitted a lie.