What is Her Story?

I meant, today, to tell you all more of our own story - about our progress down the Grand Canal,
and the beautiful palazzi we saw there. Instead, I want to share first
with you the face of this woman. Sat, with her hand open, in the steps
of the Church of SS Geremia & Lucia, she had a quiet dignity that deeply
impressed me.

I agonise over beggars when I visit other cities - there were not many in Venice, those that I did see mostly women (only one man) and all of
them from Eastern Europe - possibly Romania or Albania. Several of them
knelt, with their foreheads touching the ground, and hands outstretched.
I so longed to go up to them and raise their faces - nobody should grovel like that. All should have the dignity to feel able to show their face to the world.

This woman did not grovel, whine or pester, but sat simply, and waited.
And there was something about her - I looked into her eyes and felt as if I was looking into the deep pools of the collective human psyche. I
think she is beautiful. She mesmerised me.

I could not forget her - after giving her my small change, I returned the following day, asked her permission to take her photograph, and gave a little more. She was beseechingly grateful - and I was humbly embarrassed that a small gesture could make so much difference. She had given me far more than I had given her - her face is still unforgettable.

And inside the church outside which she sat, the "incorruptible" (not true!) body of the martyred St Lucia - dressed in martyrs red dress, and
for all the world presented to the world like Snow White, in a crystal casket. Her portrait within the church shows her proffering her eyes on
a plate - her martyrdom entailing gouging out of same. The portrait does, however, thankfully have a full compliment of eyes - presumably
mystically restored. How like a fairy tale some of these church interiors are - and like fairy tale, they too struggle to deal with and make manageable to us some of the great mysteries and terrors of life to the fearful little humans that we are.

Having bought a three day pass, we took the Vaporetto from the station, (ten minutes from where we were staying), down the length of the Grand Canal - surely one of the most beautiful "bus" rides in the world! Here are just a few of the palazzi that we passed on the way....

The Palazzo Labia on the left - whose owners were one so rich that, after banquets, they blithely discarded their gold tableware out of the windows into the canal below, rather than washing up like mere mortals. (There were, however, judiciously placed nets below the water line, hidden from view, from which the plate could later be recovered!). The entrance to the Cannaregio canal and "our" Guglie bridge homewards are also visible.

Next - the Palazzo Grassi - which you can read more about here. I am entirely in sympathy with the sentiments of this article!

The Ca D'Oro - which we discovered on an earlier walk by walking obliviously down the side alley and thus coming accidentally up close and personal to the sumptuous carvings and window tracery on the face of the building. Still fronted with beautiful marble panels, imagine how it must have glittered in the sun when it still possessed its own extensive gilding.

And much further on, the Palazzo Contarini-Fasan - otherwise known as "Desdemona's House". Very small, as Palazzi go - but I think one of the prettiest, with the most delightful wheel-pierced-tracery balconies and perfectly proportioned windows.

Finally, past the Westin Europa and Regina Hotel - home to the 1906 ladies for two days, (when it was called the Suisse-Roman (SR) and the Britannia - (B) after which they moved in to the Hotel Milan - now a private house, but marked on the photograph (M). The green striped canvas of the courtyard garden terrace, which you can just see, (behind the striped water poles), covers an area which at one time was a gondola building yard.

The following day we were treated to the most charming of high teas by the most charming host and hostess at the Europa & Regina - but that is a story for another page of this blog!

Comments

[Darla]

Roz, the photo's of Venice are beautiful but the fact that you took time during your wonderful adventure to think of and care about another human soul speaks volumes about where your heart is.

You are truly a dear person.

Darla

[Sheila]

Roz, beautiful photos, and again it's the quality of the light, as well as the magnificent buildings that impress me.The girl in your picture has such an enigmatic look, it makes me wonder what her story is.
We saw similar girls, often with new born babies at the St Jeronimos Monastery in Lisbon, never asking for money but tugging our heartstrings.Thank you for sharing more of your wonderful trip.

[ardi]

What absolutely gorgeous photos. I love how you see everything - all the filligree work on the balconies, the twists and turns of the decorations on the buildings, and even shapes of windows. Did you get into the hotel where the two other ladies stayed? The face of the woman you shared reminds me of the Afghanistan woman who was on the cover of National Geographic and who they traced down years after - perhaps there's a spiritual depth to them both that shows in their faces.

[Marie-Noëlle]

Roz, when I saw that young lady's face on your blog, I thought of that other face (of the Afghan girl) straight away and then I read Ardi's post in which it is already mentioned. That face which had gone round the world...I will always remember her eyes and her look in there...

[Sioux]

Your protrait of the woman is wonderful. Your trip outstanding and glorious. Good for you.

[Helen]

When I go to the Philippines and child beggars approach me, I have no idea what to do. My in-laws tell me to ignore them but I feel terrible. I can remember the face of every child who has asked me for money there. I said to my husband, who is Filipino: "I want to take them all back home on the plane with me," and he said: "They have families who love them. They're just poor." That made me so sad.

I like your bit about the church and the struggle to understand the great mysteries and terrors of life.

[Lundy Wilder--Villa Lagoon Tile]

You might enjoy reading about the Gypsies who account for most of the beggars you saw on your trip to Venice. You can get a used copy for 21 cents plus postage today on Amazon. The author opens up a hidden world that I have often wondered about.
Bury Me Standing: The Gypsies and Their Journey by Isabel Fonseca

A good read.

I've enjoyed your blog entries and photos of Venice. Lucky you !

Lundy Wilder
http://www.VillaLagoonTile.com