We had a ton of fun today! For our first outing, we found a mask-making studio. Really, this was awesome. One of the artists first told us about the history of masks in Venice, then about how the masks were (and are) made, and then helped us to create our own masks (see above). We were there for 3 hours perfecting our projects- we were all mesmerized!!

We had thought that masks in Venice were simply an interesting part of Carnevale (which we learned on our later tour means “free to eat meat” - makes sense for the time just before Lent). It turns out that masks were worn in Venice for hundreds of years on a daily basis up to 6 months of the year. Basically excep

t when it was too hot! The actual origins of the tradition are unclear- perhaps Roman or noted from another civilization such as the Mayans- but the masks were used to promote egalitarianism in the society, to free people to participate in not-so-proper activities like gambling and flirtation, and for fun. In those days, the masks were mostly only white so as to be unidentifiable, preserving anonymity. For men, they were held in place by a tricorn hat, as at right. The tradition was lost after Napoleon conquered Venice in the 18th century, until it was revived in the 1980’s. At that point, the use of masks was confined to Carnevale, and as they were purely decorative could be painted and adorned.

After a quick bite, we met our tour guide Cristina to learn more about Venice past and present. We started out in the Basilica of San Marco, which is unbelievable. Chris and I had seen it before, but the colorful, gilt mosaics had faded in our memories. The cathedral was built from the 11th - 13th centuries. Of note, this is the same period during which the Tower of London and Windsor Castle were built, and the styles are completely different. Where the English castles were actually built by Normans and had an austere style, the Venetian basilica was influenced by Byzantine style. It was built by the Doge (not the Church) to show off the wealth of Venice, and there are 85,000 square meters of mosaic inside. The mosaics are made from marble, glass, ceramic, gold. The saints on the ceiling are in gold and finest materials. The floors themselves are amazing geometric compositions, and the altarpiece is a gorgeous bejeweled enamel piece showing scenes from the life of Christ, Saint Mark, and showing pictures of various apostles.

From there we sampled Cristina’s pick for Best Gelato in Venice, adding more flavors to our repertoire (on the last day we’ll have our verdict for best flavor). Then by boat on to the Canareggio, a less touristy district that also includes the Jewish Ghetto. We learned that the word “ghetto” actually is pronounced “jetto” in Italian, and means “foundry,” which is what existed in this area in medieval times. The earliest Jews to come to Venice (in medieval times) were German, and could not pronounce the soft “g.”  Wealthy bankers and merchants who were victims of anti-semitism, they were confined by the Doge to the ghetto both for their protection and so that they could be controlled. They were able to work and play in areas other than the ghetto, but lived and worshipped there. Over time, the word ghetto began to connote the geographic isolation and confinement of a repressed class of people. Many other interesting features of the ghetto too numerous to elaborate here.

Also in the Canareggio, we visited a refurbished Venetian palace and a beautiful garden hidden within a retirement home with an amazing view of the lagoon. Our tour ended in a secluded alley that only Venetians would know how to find...it w

as notable for a bar with a great happy hour. Cristina ordered us “spritzers,” a typical Venetian drink made of approx 50% prosecco or white wine, 25% Aperol (a bitter liqueur), 25% soda water. Inside they had a buffet of bruschettas, a saffron risotto, and simple pasta al pomodoro. Cristina also ordered us an antipasto of salumi and formaggio. Delicious, if not so nutritious! Bellies full yet again, we said goodbye to our guide and found our way back to the hotel. En route, in the P. San Marco, we found Mass celebrated in the courtyard. It was quite beautiful- the whole piazza smelled of incense and much of the Mass was sung. It seemed like a special occasion, but we couldn’t tell what.