GirlSpyTravel's Most Interesting Journey through Italy
Sep 8th, 2006, 03:33 PM
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GirlSpyTravel's Most Interesting Journey through Italy
I've been in Italy awhile now-a journey of reflection, to gain some perspective on certain things that have happened in my life, and it seems like I've been everywhere-Milan, Lake Como, magnificent Florence, (really, Florence looks SO FAB, so luxe these days-what's happened there?) Venice, Trieste, Treviso, Grado, Aquileia, Muggia, other places also, and cannot remember, in my over two decades of coming to this country, for work, for study. for vacation, when I've ever experienced such an uninterrupted stretch of incredibly lovely weather -NO rain whatsoever in over three weeks-Venice, like a dream with the Regata Storica, the golden sunsets, the opening night of the season at La Fenice-I met the mayor of Venice, Massimo Cacciari that night last week-everyone who was anyone in Venice high society was there on September 1st, mingling, in Campo San Fantin in front of the theater-pre-performance.
But then something very interesting happened after the Zubin Mehta directed concert-the mayor is on-stage, waiting to give the key to the city to ZM, and he looks out to the horseshoe shaped theater boxes that surround the stage-(so achingly beautiful this new theater is-I find it the most beautiful of all European opera houses that I know, perhaps in part because of its poignant Fenice-like rising from the ashes).
The mayor, who figures prominently in the 1996 burning of La Fenice, (he was mayor then) cranks his head slowly up to the stratosphere where GirlSpy was standing, literally cranks his head around in an odd way so he could stare right up at his center right top tier-where I was watching the post-performance events below, and then, startlingly, I realize that he was actually, (no really!), staring directly at ME-I look around-nope- this was a real one on one stare going on!
And had the mayor simply done that and then turned away as most people do, that would be nice but nothing special, however, that's not what he did! He proceeds to FIX his gaze for the better part of a minute or so, not sure, my God, it was starting to get uncomfortable because it was SO intense-people in the boxes across and those sitting around me were looking at ME at this point to see what m reaction was! I'm really not exaggerating this or joking -I just held his gaze without reaction-I didn't want to do anything that could possibly cause gossip-the last thing I need, believe me!-but I'm still wondering what that was all about, it's rather meaningless now, but at that moment in time...remember, this is the mayor who was charged with negligence in the fire of La Fenice, (you can read this in that awful book -City of Falling Angels) who married Woody Allen and Soon-yi, and is also a philospher. Later I talked to some Venetians about it, and they thought it was rather charming, but not at all unusual for their mayor, given that he is a known for his fondness for the ladies, and a philospher-uh, okay!
I was so tongue-tied when I met him before the performance that all I could think of to say was, in Italian, "I'm from the United States"-pretty dumb, huh? (btw, I've spoken virtually no English since I've arrived here-I actually want to lose myself completely in this culture for the time being). The mayor was glad-handing the crowd in front of La Fenice, as mayors do, when I approached. I think he was maybe quite surprised that an American would recognize him? I don't know, but it would be easy to get a crush on him, that's for sure!
Everyone at the theater looked spectacular, btw,-and I was dressed quite appropriately (in my short black crepe dress with some tasteful black sequins at the bottom of the two tier skirt). I must say though, that some of the most beautiful women I have ever seen in person were there that night-really. I read the next day in the paper that there were actresses, Alberta Ferretti, the Attorney General, the former mayor, (who got La Fenice rebuilt and strongly dislikes Massimo Cacciari, the again-elected mayor)-I could not have picked a better time to be there.
The mayor and I shook hands, I smiled at him, (remember, I was a bit tongue-tied, most unusual for me!) and he wished me "Buon Divertimento," (have fun) and then he ran off down a narrow calle along side the theater-and that was it, until the staring scene from the stage...haven't quite figured it out, but it WAS rather exciting!
After all that and so many more lovely memories (I do feel quite at home in Venice), and lovely, lovely Trieste and its surrounding areas, I'm here in... Napoli. And to be brutally frank, I was not prepared for it. This city, which I thought I knew, but have not been to for many years, is, well, I need to take my own advice that I've given on this board and not fight it, move with it, not against it, and it is a bit easier now, after my second day-but it is truly a culture change from Northeast Italy- it's tough on the solo traveler- you have to take it bits at a time-but no problems with the purse snatchers (knock on wood!) or even a sense, walking as I have through this incredibly filthy, exploding with life city, that I was in danger in any way.
I'm heading off to Sorrento in a couple of days, to my convent with the lovely views of the Gulf, in time to reflect on the fifth anniversary of 9-11...I am looking forward to this, it's really been quite the trip, and I've not even gotten to Rome as yet. How does one top these experiences already? I don't know.
But then something very interesting happened after the Zubin Mehta directed concert-the mayor is on-stage, waiting to give the key to the city to ZM, and he looks out to the horseshoe shaped theater boxes that surround the stage-(so achingly beautiful this new theater is-I find it the most beautiful of all European opera houses that I know, perhaps in part because of its poignant Fenice-like rising from the ashes).
The mayor, who figures prominently in the 1996 burning of La Fenice, (he was mayor then) cranks his head slowly up to the stratosphere where GirlSpy was standing, literally cranks his head around in an odd way so he could stare right up at his center right top tier-where I was watching the post-performance events below, and then, startlingly, I realize that he was actually, (no really!), staring directly at ME-I look around-nope- this was a real one on one stare going on!
And had the mayor simply done that and then turned away as most people do, that would be nice but nothing special, however, that's not what he did! He proceeds to FIX his gaze for the better part of a minute or so, not sure, my God, it was starting to get uncomfortable because it was SO intense-people in the boxes across and those sitting around me were looking at ME at this point to see what m reaction was! I'm really not exaggerating this or joking -I just held his gaze without reaction-I didn't want to do anything that could possibly cause gossip-the last thing I need, believe me!-but I'm still wondering what that was all about, it's rather meaningless now, but at that moment in time...remember, this is the mayor who was charged with negligence in the fire of La Fenice, (you can read this in that awful book -City of Falling Angels) who married Woody Allen and Soon-yi, and is also a philospher. Later I talked to some Venetians about it, and they thought it was rather charming, but not at all unusual for their mayor, given that he is a known for his fondness for the ladies, and a philospher-uh, okay!
I was so tongue-tied when I met him before the performance that all I could think of to say was, in Italian, "I'm from the United States"-pretty dumb, huh? (btw, I've spoken virtually no English since I've arrived here-I actually want to lose myself completely in this culture for the time being). The mayor was glad-handing the crowd in front of La Fenice, as mayors do, when I approached. I think he was maybe quite surprised that an American would recognize him? I don't know, but it would be easy to get a crush on him, that's for sure!
Everyone at the theater looked spectacular, btw,-and I was dressed quite appropriately (in my short black crepe dress with some tasteful black sequins at the bottom of the two tier skirt). I must say though, that some of the most beautiful women I have ever seen in person were there that night-really. I read the next day in the paper that there were actresses, Alberta Ferretti, the Attorney General, the former mayor, (who got La Fenice rebuilt and strongly dislikes Massimo Cacciari, the again-elected mayor)-I could not have picked a better time to be there.
The mayor and I shook hands, I smiled at him, (remember, I was a bit tongue-tied, most unusual for me!) and he wished me "Buon Divertimento," (have fun) and then he ran off down a narrow calle along side the theater-and that was it, until the staring scene from the stage...haven't quite figured it out, but it WAS rather exciting!
After all that and so many more lovely memories (I do feel quite at home in Venice), and lovely, lovely Trieste and its surrounding areas, I'm here in... Napoli. And to be brutally frank, I was not prepared for it. This city, which I thought I knew, but have not been to for many years, is, well, I need to take my own advice that I've given on this board and not fight it, move with it, not against it, and it is a bit easier now, after my second day-but it is truly a culture change from Northeast Italy- it's tough on the solo traveler- you have to take it bits at a time-but no problems with the purse snatchers (knock on wood!) or even a sense, walking as I have through this incredibly filthy, exploding with life city, that I was in danger in any way.
I'm heading off to Sorrento in a couple of days, to my convent with the lovely views of the Gulf, in time to reflect on the fifth anniversary of 9-11...I am looking forward to this, it's really been quite the trip, and I've not even gotten to Rome as yet. How does one top these experiences already? I don't know.
Sep 8th, 2006, 06:43 PM
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Hello, Girlspytravel!
Your story of the mayor is very entertaining; have you perhaps forgetten the 1950's movie Summertime? Katherine Hepburn is the American tourist in Venice, Rossano Brazzi is the Venetian who stares her up, etc. etc.
The mayor is simply a flirt! I hope you enjoyed his attention.
Your story of the mayor is very entertaining; have you perhaps forgetten the 1950's movie Summertime? Katherine Hepburn is the American tourist in Venice, Rossano Brazzi is the Venetian who stares her up, etc. etc.
The mayor is simply a flirt! I hope you enjoyed his attention.
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