Mask-making is another form of art. To be sure, there are those tacky masks for tourists, made of plastic, made in China.

But you still find original mask manufactures, selling traditional Venetian masks at suprisingly decent prices.

Look here:

http://www.bluemoonvenice.com/

Their shop is on the Giudecca island.

There is another shop, selling authentic masks. It is on Strada Nuova, opposite Chiesa San Felice. They are so traditional, they don't even have a website.

I found this post by searching for some ideas of grandly architectural cities for my son to visit. He is an architecture student.

Some of the posts here are incredibly informative.

One was disappointing....

"So, to conclude, in someone else's words, words heard on the street, a member of a little tour group to the tour leader, the accent somewhat south of the Mason-Dixon.

"Monica, we've passed a lot of shops selling masks. What's with the masks?"

So, of the rather studious posts here, this one suggests that someone with an accent from "somewhat south of the Mason-Dixon" is stupid? Incapable of understanding the significance of masks?

I would suggest the writer is well-informed and educated. He provided excellent information and then eclipsed it by his rather unenlightened stereo-typing. How easy it is to point at an accent dismissively, suggesting that those living in an entire region of our country are poorly educated. An accent does not equal or implicate

For goodness sake. That is outright stereo-typing. The Mason-Dixon line historically represented a mere division of three states and was established in 1763 due to border disputes between Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware. It was only in effect until 1767. Socially and politically, the phantom "line" extended to Missouri until the Missouri Compromise in 1820.

So at best, you're applying a theory of stunted intelligence to an entire region due to an accent? And that is based on a mystery line that expired 200 years ago for nearly a third of an entire country?

Hmmmm.