The Canality of Life

On New Year’s Day, I moved into the apartment in Campo San Maurizio, a somewhat quiet square nicely situated between Piazza San Marco and the Accademia bridge. Pictures of the flat will follow in a subsequent post, but here's the view of the quiet Campo from my window.

My first night in the apartment, I was a little spooked. I’m accustomed to a doorman downstairs in New York and to a reception desk downstairs in Venice. This building has a security system that’s digitized. You press certain numbers on different days to get in the main door and then do it again at the elevator, which will open to your assigned floor and nowhere else. The idea that the elevator opened directly into my apartment made me a little nervous, so I kept a wine opener on the night table in case I should need to stab someone in the throat. This is my wine opener and that’s my don’t-make-me-stab-you-in-the-throat face.

For my posts about the 4+ weeks I’ll spend as a Venetian resident, I'll focus on moments with friends and family who’ll be rotating in and out, and, importantly, on discoveries about Venice that may be helpful to other visitors and even to those who, like me, wonder what daily life is like here among the canals. I hope you’ll stay tuned.

Though I’ve visited this city many times, I’ve already begun to find new stuff I deem worth sharing. My first guests won't arrive till tomorrow, so today I’ll focus on these early days’ discoveries:

Discovery #1: Palazzo Veneziano.

As you may remember from my last post, so impressed was I by the gracious service of the staff at the Palazzo Veneziano that I wanted to stay there next trip. Topping my list of things to do was a jaunt over to get a look at the place.

Palazzo Veneziano is on the quieter end of Dorsoduro -- a sestiere I love -- right on the waterfront. It's an easy walk from the vaporetto stops Zattere and San Basilio. The former is only one stop from San Marco.

At the front desk, I found Omar, who’d been one of the hotel interlocutors who’d communicated with me so warmly. He proved just as lovely in person. I asked to see a room in the category I’d reserved but had to cancel, and was immediately accommodated. The room was pretty, good-sized, and had a nice view. What’s more, everything smacked of newness; the hotel opened just eight years ago.

Just outside, you can sit in the sun looking out at the Grand Canal from any number of waterside cafes, but this one (Discovery #1a) right outside the hotel entrance caught my attention because their pizzas looked decidedly Neapolitan -- always a good thing. (I didn't photograph people's lunches, which would have been comically invasive.) As you can see, this cafe --whose name appears to be a series of symbols rather than letters -- offered a special vegan pizza that looked pretty darned interesting. Moreover, it boasted membership in the Italian Celiac Association. In other words, the cafe seemed to cater to folks with some dietary restrictions or intolerances who nevertheless craved a faceful of quality pizza. Very good to know.

Discovery #2: Porter service.

Uncharacteristically, I had a suitcase that’s about as big as a suitcase gets, stuffed with a month’s worth of things like full-size toiletries and boots and outerwear. It was so heavy that it was even hard to push on its wheels, never mind drag up steps and over bridges -- as I’d had to do after the water taxi left me as close as possible to the Hotel Splendid. I didn’t actually hurt my back in the sense of wrenching it or doing any real damage, but the muscle pain from neck to glutes and rib cage to rib cage lasted for days. Fortunately, I discovered that you can book porter service to move things from one place to another in Venice. A hotel can arrange it for you, but these services are independent of hotels and you can book them yourself. Just google porter service in Venice. My transport from the hotel to the apartment, perhaps a 15-minute walk, cost 30 euro and was well worth it.

Discovery #3: Traghetto service.

The traghetto, a gondola that holds about 12 people, is one means of getting around Venice that I’d never tried. But, of course, now I’ve got to savvy up. Venice is all about walking, yes, but sometimes a person is in a hurry or carrying something heavy. On my maiden voyage, I sailed, so to speak, the three minutes or so from S. Marco to San Toma’.

I even got (Discovery #3a) an all-access transit pass called a Venezia Unica card valid through January 31, complete with ID. If you’re ever going to be here for a month or more, know that you can get these cards in two places only: the Rialto and Lido ticket offices.

The traghetto costs 70 eurocents with a Venezia Unica card; 2 euro without.

Discovery #4: DoctorsinItaly.com.

My American friend Jayna who, like me, has a house in Italy but is not yet a resident with access to the healthcare system, has used this service herself. It’s great for visitors who suddenly get sick here (particularly given the virulence of this season’s flu). These doctors will even tele-visit and prescribe medications.

Discovery #5: Plant-based Nutella!

I knew this day would come. Lord knows I've been waiting for it. In other chocolate news I wasn't awaiting...

Imagine my pride when I saw these bars on sale

at the Hudson News spots in JFK airport.

Just that little touch of sweetness a Yank would want to see before a trip abroad.

Oy.