Not lived, but alive

“… they held her, they anchored her, and she was not free to enjoy her life, her freedom. She was always playing the role of a polite girl, who does not rebel, the one that allows anyone to treat her as they like … ” Here we are, Venice shows off so to us, like a beautiful girl overwhelmed by the duties and customs, which is no longer free to enjoy her life.

Sometimes she seems dormant in those lanes that are stuffed being channels of tourism and its buildings surrounded by an untouchable golden patina. Without external stimula, she lets you exploit her , helpless. The first wrinkles appear on her face and her eyes become shiny if she stops thinking about the time that goes by. A bit of lipstick is not enough to feel herself the “Serenissima” again, to sense the thrill of being the one who held the reins of the trade, to go back to having the knowledge of her mistress, and not to be a mere object of pleasure for others .

No, no lipstick is enough, of course.

Sooner or later, however, she will look at herself and realize she has become only a shadow of what she once was, what she was when she was happy. It will be exactly then that our young faded lady will decide to rebel, to look again for the happiness that was hers. And then she will wear the evening dress, taking off those old clothes that smell like mothballs, and return being alive. Its untouchable buildings will again be foreveryone, for her people, all those who still trust her. Palazzo Ducale will become the dance school, Marciana Library will open the sale of food and the Rialto bridge will fill up the chatter of busy housewives that wash clothes. She will maintain her beauty, but it will be accessible to all, no longer exploited by cameras during office hours, but she will be always ready to welcome a dad who has to buy milk or a group of young people wishing to have fun.

And once she is beautiful again, Our Serenissima will leave. She will start to travel the world to discover new places, she will finally “see”and above all decide when to be seen.

Because, however, she basically remains a vain girl, and she will never deny her beauty to anyone.