Venice O Venice Thou Beckon Too Much!

Doth beauteous Venice protest too much of ingrate tourists once begged for? Yet, as Merchant of Venice bemoaned: “[They] hath disgraced me … laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains …”

As the WSJ’s latest coverage says, “Venice Fights to Save Itself From Tourists.” Forgotten are the millions spent on selling the ancient floating city built on stilts to gullible world travelers as “Residents flee as Airbnb surges; ‘We’ve become Italy’s answer to Disneyland.’” Again, “Venice has struggled with the impact of mass tourism for decades, but residents [now] say the city has reached a tripping point, accelerated by a boom in European & US [& Chinese] tourism in recent years that was only briefly interrupted by Covid.” Indeed, “this month, for the first time, Venice’s main islands have more tourist beds, including hotels & short-term rentals such as Airbnb, than residents, says Ocio, a local affordable housing advocate.”

Well, swamped Venetians, as Americans like to say, “watch what you wish for.” Having enjoyed Venice’s overwhelming attractions twice in the last three years, I can honestly warn the locals that I (& probably millions of other admirers) can’t wait to get back to St. Mark’s Square & dance with my sweetheart under the stars & to the refrains of the outdoor restaurant orchestras. On the other hand, I’m going next in October, when the weather is still fine & the crowds more reasonable, with fewer Cretans around to desecrate this city’s historical marvels.

Davd Soul