Oh my God!! Until now Carnevale has been fun and entertaining and manageable but today it became totally nightmarish.
Tull and I went our different ways and I started the day going far away down past the Arsenale…down the Grand Canal…so I had a nice morning, there were people around but it was all nice and gentile. I then walked back along the Grand Canal and as I approached the Sam Marco it suddenly became total chaos with police out directing the hoards of pedestrians.
As amazingly as you could imagine I bumped into Tull and we walked together for a while and were able to manoeuvre ourselves around although there were pockets of standstill pedestrians. We sat for a while in San Marco Square at the seating of a restaurant, of course expecting to have to pay a fortune for a drink. But after a while when no-one approached us we decided we’d had our burst of people watching and didn’t need to pay for the drink as well, so we left. We walked around for ages and found a small place to stop and have lunch and a drink. That was a pleasant interlude.
We then parted company again and each of us entered the fray that was building up by the hour. I went back to San Marco where there is always something happening and sat and watched the judging of the best costume thing that happens every day. I got into it and had my voting card in action. It was a great exercise in being part of a real Carnival.
Then I left there and decided to start walking back to the apartment. That’s when it really got crazy. Standstill pedestrian traffic, you literally couldn’t move, quite scary at times with people getting cross (usually Venetians trying to get through). I spent just ages getting home because I couldn’t move and I couldn’t see where I was going. Today is Valentines Day and it’s big here…there is a ‘love in’ in San Marco’s this evening so the crowds were truly horrendous, although not very loving!!!
Anyway to cut a long story short I got back. I was sure I didn’t have any wine left so detoured to buy my supply, only to find I had nearly a whole bottle at home. As we leave Monday that has me with a surplus but I think the way things are shaping up I’ll need it!!
I have to say that sadly I think I’m just about over Carnevale. There is a massive happening in San Marco tomorrow that I guess we’ll have to brave but honestly I rather dread it. I think the sanity of Rome again will be a welcome relief!! The glamour of Carnevale has definitely faded as Venice becomes totally overrun by the hoards from all over Italy and all over Europe.
Hopefully I’ll survive to write of tomorrow although being crushed to death is a real possibility!!!