Buongiorno Venezia

isn’t it lovely

buongiornovenezia — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:54:07 +0000

I quote from the current issue of BUONGIORNO VENEZIA….

There is a new webcam in Venice: the view over the Calatrava bridge. Under the magnifying lens of architects from all over the world who have been visiting the Biennale Architettura, the fourth bridge across the Grand Canal, designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, is still in the news… with some instructions for use.

Opened two weeks ago at midnight, the new bridge has been visited by the president of the Italian republic, thus receiving its official approval. People are crossing it with interest, curiosity, and a little fear. While the surface appears slippery, it’s not as bad as expected, but the “false” double steps are deceptive. Pedestrians are advised to pay careful attention when walking down the steps.

Aesthetics has a price. And the price goes beyond the exorbitant construction costs to include constant maintenance. The brass handrail, for example, is already the pigeons’ favourite resting spot and, though it is continuously cleaned, their droppings leave stains on the brass. Even raindrops are spotting the brass, but keep in mind that YOU will be fined if you dirty the railing or spit chewing gum on the steps.

The bridge required six years of work instead of, as originally planned, a little more than one, and it cost twelve and a half million euros instead of four (plus eleven million more in additional expenses which are at the centre of various legal arguments). Those expenditures, however, pale beside yearly maintenance expenses of forty million euros. At the moment, none of the bridge’s accessibility devices for the disabled are working… to be continued.

toss

buongiornovenezia — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 22:28:12 +0000

a suggestion by Janet from S.Francisco:
“I have respectively and unobtrusively visited your magical city several times and have been horrified that so many people (residents and tourists alike) toss cigarette butts into the water and the streets. In many places in California I have noticed, recently, relatively “not too-ugly” receptacles for snuffing them out and disposing of them. They look to be made of ceramic or dark metal and shaped not unlike a fat bowling pin! I looked on the Web and there are many manufacturers.”

well, thank you for your suggestion… though the main problem of garbage collecting is not about tossed cigarettes… here, may i suggest a simple “quit smoking”?

thank you Elton

buongiornovenezia — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 09:28:16 +0000

i must admit it was my first Elton John’s concert. and it was fabulous. i think that after listening to the live performance, i won’t be able to listen to any of his pieces recorded in studio. looking more and more confident every minute — we can only guess his emotion of singing in St.Mark’s Square — he conquered the audience with a memorable version of “Rocket man”. thank you!!

counterfeit stupidity

buongiornovenezia — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 06:23:03 +0000

let me re-open a thread posted by venice lover:
“Why cannot the police round up those counterfeit bag-sellers and send them packing? I was in Venice last week, anfd thought that the bags now do not appear to have the “designer” names on them, but something that looks like or sounds like the famous name. I think I saw “Grada” instead of “Prada”, for instance. But, at least with the bags, the customers do get something for their money, and most people, I think, know they are buying a fake, though that doesn’t make it less of a crime. No, I think that the worst con-trick is the worked by the people who sell the “dancing” Mickey Mouse and other Disney character figures (no doubt with no copyright payments to Disney). I know that the people buying them must be stupid to believe in magic, and I believe that they are sold for only about 5 euros, which isn’t really a lot, but they too should be rounded up and shipped out of Venice.”

well, as a matter of fact people are not buying not-counterfeit bags as much as the fake ones!! so never assume good faith. instead, i can understand the thrill in the dancing mickey mouse: people know it’s going to be a 99 percent trap, but people buy it all the same because they feel part of a little miracle, as venice is so special. so in my opinion they buy a special memory, the souvenir of themself feeling as innocent and happy as a child. and at home, they’ll laugh at themselves
or am i wrong?

it’s because we needed to see the sky…

buongiornovenezia — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 21:18:43 +0000

… or the underwear??

the Calatrava bridge

this week’s newsletter talks of:

Mutual exclusivity — more hotels and fewer tourists?
April Fool’s Day — the best date for joking about money
The 20-point handicap — each unforgivable

and, last but not least

The Calatrava Bridge’s private views

air

buongiornovenezia — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 23:34:09 +0000

hi, my dears. i know you miss me. and i miss you. the reason why i am not updating the blog so often is that what’s happening here is too complicated for my poor english to explain and for human comprehension (let’s say my comprehension). but i’ll try to — as we say in italian, i’ll do it “a grande richiesta” (on popular demand).
well, i’ll try to explain with an example first, and keep in mind this is only ONE episode of a long series.
suppose you own a bar in venice (this is not my case). suppose you want to have a dehors, put some tables outside where your clients can relax, in some gorgeous campiello or along a canal. can i do that? you ask yourself anxiously. most times the answer is: yes, you pay. you can do anything in venice, if you pay. so you ask the comune the permission to use the public ground to place your tables for your clients. and you pay.
weeks later, the permit arrives, you place your tables, your tableclothes, your chairs. your clients sit down and enjoy springtime in venice.
summertime arrives, and it’s so hot. damn… you need to place a big umbrella, or a curtain! you buy the umbrella, you place the curtain over your entrance door. over? no. “you pay”. but you have already paid! you THINK so. you paid for the ground. didn’t pay for the AIR. so you ask to use the… air, and wait long time for permission. it’s the empire of Bureaucracy.
you may think i’m kidding. i’m not. this system has been nicknamed la tassa sull’ombra dell’ombra (ombra meaning in venetian both shadow and glass of wine: that is, you pay twice for the “shadow”). not finished: how is this tax really called? it’s not the occupancy of public ground, it ’s the occupancy of public “air space”. you feel like an invader, technically you are an enemy who pays even the breathed air.
not finished. technically, you feel so stupid. but you hope to make such a big money squeezing your tourists, that you bear all this.
now, suppose you organize art events and need to advertise your event (something which is closer to me). suppose you wish to place an artwork in front of the venue: it’s not an advertisement, it’s an artwork. and it’s beautiful. you plan not to disturb people in their walks, so you plan to place in a grass spot in front of the venue, hanged to a dry tree, which has to be replaced shortly. the company which manages the tree care allows you to do so, but this is not enough for the municipality: they want your “bucks”. so “please declare the size of your piece of whatever it is, and pay your advertising tax and ground occupancy tax”. Ground? it’s going to be hung on a tree. “Well, so it’s occupazione di spazio aereo”. oh, like curtains… uhm, to be true… it’s not really advertising, it’s… art. “ART?” yes. “it’s forbidden”. are you kidding? “art installations in the open are forbidden in venice, apart from special occasions”. special what? “well… we do not know how much to charge you pay for something which is not advertising”. have i to replace it with a piece of advertising? “the tree may suffer”. suffer from what, we won’t do any harm to it, and anyway it’s a just a canvas without the frame, hung carefully on a dead tree. “it’s you saying it’s dead”. it’s not me saying it’s dead. “have someone write it down”. have someone what? “write it down”. why? “because we do not take any responsibility”. about what? “the tree”. it’s going to be replaced. “by whom?” by you. “why?” because it’s dead. “what if the tree dies?” it IS dead. it may recover, with a piece of art on it. “you say that”. what, that it’s dead or that it’ll recover? “both”. it’s dead, and it’s also ugly. “have it…………………

buongiornovenezia — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 22:49:59 +0000

Ever wondered about drinking customs in Venice? Embark on a video tour with comedian Zane Lamprey

this week’s newsletter

buongiornovenezia — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 12:11:35 +0000

The works on the Calatrava bridge are speeding up. This is the first effect of the inspections. Let’s see what happens next. For the ones of you who contacted us for info about this story: we are preparing a comprehensive report which will be ready in a couple of days. And the point is not discussing if Calatrava is a good architect or not; the point is that bridge is a nonsense, and it’s probably not his fault.

this week’s issue of Buongiorno Venezia talks of:

Seaside peaks… and financial valleys
Six restaurants trading in Blue Stamps
A rocky cinema connexion on the Lido
No kidding, it’s a pizza
Italy’s top art exhibitions

If you wish to comment in public, please post your comments here below, or to the related posts here above

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the incapables

buongiornovenezia — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 18:03:55 +0000

It’s not a movie. It’s real life.

The titbit of the week is about the first results of the inspection of the works related to the fourth bridge on the Grand Canal. A name for its baptism, that has been postponed sine die so many times, should be the incapables’ bridge. Frankly this appellative, that according to the tradition has to follow the name of the designer, is not as evocative as other bridges’, but that is cruel reality: an endless yard on which citizens have to spend a fortune. With a very Italian word that unfortunately lacks in grace, a true “casino” in which technical, civil, penal and, last but not least, moral responsibilities are involved.
The verification is a sort of triumph for the angry citizens, though they are aware of being the ones and only to pay the price for it with their taxes. This ugly and useless bridge – all began with a draft on a restaurant napkin that rapidly turned into a madness story - is a great shame that, evidently, involve also the people who have neither stopped it nor borne all the well-founded criticisms.

this week’s issue of Buongiorno Venezia talks of:

Calatrava: the hopeless bridge. Supervisory authority has recently published its observations on it.
Twenty-two Academy nominations for movies screened at the 2007 Venice Film Festival.
Dads’ attack

If you wish to comment in public, please post your comments here below, or to the related posts here above

Want to receive next issue? Click here

To be born in venice: a petition

buongiornovenezia — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 22:57:30 +0000

for some unclear reason (restorations? lack of personnel?), the Venice Hospital will not guarantee the usual services to pregnant women, for instance it will not allow the dads to assist to the birth. Many families are protesting, and are inviting people to sign a petition; here is the link to the petition “Nascere a Venezia” (To be born in Venice). May you wish to contribute, click on the “Firma” button” (Sign). The required data to type in are: name and last name, email address (won’t be published), check the box resident “in venice” or “in the mainland”; and then you have to check the boxes to authorize the website to treat your data for statistical purposes. Your browser needs to be java-script enabled. 410 signed up till now