Canals | Krauss-ing The World

Amsterdam

Bikes and cars rush past on what can barely be considered roads amidst the Sunday traffic of Amsterdam. The big city, while hectic to walk through, is more like a village along the many canals that compose the city. Walking along the strips of land you’d think you were on the mainland, but then the canals mark the end and you remember you’re along the river Amstel.

One of the more tranquil canals on the city outskirts

I soak up the sun along the canals of the main streets and a nice park before settling on a delicious lamb roti roll from Surinam, one of the many former Dutch colonies. While the diversity of foods is delicious, I am reminded more of this colonial history by the Dutch East India trading company, the wealthiest company of all time. The headquarters is now just a history building.

I’ve missed hearing the Dutch language, similar to Flemish spoken in Belgium. To me they sound almost like Sims characters; it is so cute.

I enjoy seeing the *Begijnhof*, a religious community exclusively run by women.

I take a walking tour to the edges of the red light district, where an old cathedral is flanked by sex workers on display. A kindergarten is just next door. The normalization seems a bit strange to me, but sex workers also have rights here.

I return at night to see more of them posing for customers. I get heckled a lot, and by people asking if I want cocaine every turn. It is an uncomfortable atmosphere, surrounded by drunk tourists, but it is good to be uncomfortable on occasion.

The next day I walk out to see a windmill. I pass by dozens along the farm pastures on the road in, but no tulips. I see plenty in the floating flower shops along the canal. It is interesting seeing all the bulbs of different flowers, resembling onions and garlic, until I remember they are just bulbs that we eat !

I shelter from the rain by trying lots of samples at a cheese shop, but the cow cheese is not doing it for me. My favorite is the sheep’s cheese with rosemary!

I waste the morning away at the market shopping and trying undercooked crepes, pancakes and stroopwafel. The trip out to nearby Haarlem is short and cheap. It is nice to unwind a little, but there is still so much bike traffic and plenty of bustle, albeit with a little more tranquility. I stop at another windmill and take a look around the Groot markt (central square). There are lots of shops, but prices seem similar to Amsterdam.

Haarlem
Haarlem
Jewish survivors managed to escape thanks to this woman’s house, which is now a museum in Haarlem
Groot Markt

It is hard being in Amsterdam surrounded by Holocaust history. I can’t visit the Anne Frank house, but I don’t have the emotional capacity in the moment to bear the weight of it. There is another house where nearly a hundred Jews were hidden and rescued. The streets are lined with tripping stones—plaques commemorating where residents lived who were taken to concentration camps.

I cross the main canal by ferry to see a model of sustainability in a floating neighborhood. There are lots of green spaces along the canals, and water birds rest easily unperturbed by humans.

The next day, the market redeems itself with a deliciously spiced stroopwafel. It is so nice I almost cry, but I think I still enjoy it better cold.

Poffertjes, mini pancakes
Pof

The highlight for me is the Van Gogh museum. I really love his style with thick brush strokes. He is one of my favorite artists, and it’s interesting to trace the evolution of his style over time. To me, it’s amazing how some of his best work came about as he learned different techniques and worked in collaboration with other artists. My favorite works were created during the end of his life as his mental health deteriorated, yet this is where the swirling subjects take motion, such as in Starry night.

Lucca

Posted on February 7, 2022 by krauss-ingtheworld

Walking along the raised walls of the medieval city, it seems more like a park than fortifications. Runners jog past and children play on the grassy knolls. I look out toward the villas and palaces of Lucca city center, with occasional towers rising upward. The entrance beneath the wall is one of the most grandiose I’ve seen, with a portcullis and murals along the ceiling. I step through to travel to the medieval towers myself.

Most of the towers are attached to churches. I walk past the city center, flea markets selling all sorts of bizarre household collectibles. Only in Italy would you find a stall selling what looks like renaissance statues. The church of San Michele in Foro has a beautiful facade, one of the most intricate I’ve seen and unlike the others. Though quite plain inside, it has nice art exhibitions and some ancient seals.

While seemingly more modern than Sienna, there are many medieval architectural elements that are well preserved, as in Florence.

There used to be hundreds of such towers, but only one remains preserved. The tower of Gugliani, unlike the other towers, has something different: a green roof. With trees sprouting out the top like hair, the symbolic oaks give the structure an other-worldly appearance.

At the top the trees seem quite small, but the city looms large and all the individual buildings can be spotted. The marble cliffs lay beyond; its quite a beautiful place for a picnic lunch.

I descend towards the amphitheater, formerly of Roman origin, that is now a plaza in the same oval shape. With the curvature of the buildings and the cream colors, it does seem like a performance space. Old friends are reunited, others meeting for the first time. While it is easy to hide in the many twisting and turning alleyways of Lucca, coming in and out of these entrances feels like entering a place where all is on display.

I walk along the rim of the walls a bit. 4km around, I am surprised when I start to recognize joggers taking several laps. I venture back through the cloisters of San Frediano to the central touristic route, which I follow past countless palaces and villas, many open to visitors. There are some other interesting city gates, some with large columns and murals, but none impress as much as the first one.

There is a lot of green space around, and the city walls seems like one giant park. I even follow along some canals built in the middle of the streets to return to the city center. The main cathedral has some detailed carvings and columns and has a central tower of its own. However I still have some of the city to see, and the sun is setting fast.

I check out the Ducal palace, currently a government building and museum, and cross to another main city entrance. The streets are getting busier for Saturday night, and I start to get claustrophobic on the main drag. Electric violinists and street performers, along with Christmas caroling, make for a unique atmosphere, though the lights are beautiful.

Murano & Burano (Venice 2/2)

Posted on November 22, 2021 by krauss-ingtheworld

Much of Venice can only be seen by water. I embark, past the confusion, long waits, and crowds, to get aboard a boat to Murano. This island is the refuge of glassmakers, whose furnaces were banned from Venice as a fire-hazard. I see the modern smiths using age-old techniques, including putting metal shavings in the glass, and millefiore—tiny flowers in the glass details. Anything it seems can be made from glass, and some of the animals and jewelry are spectacular.

Equally colorful are the houses of the nearby island of Burano. I wait an hour in line at the docks to get to Burano, convinced only to stay after investing in a €20 boat pass. I slip through to the front of the unregulated line after not making it on the next boat, as it is frustrating watching boat employees let people to the front after being bribed.

It’s hard to say if it is worth the wait, but the boat ride is cold if not beautiful across the water. The town is so pretty in the distance, painted with vibrant colors everywhich way.

Island of Burano. Many leaning towers of Venice, like this campanile on Burano, are caused by building on an unstable foundation. Venice is sinking at a rate of 2 millimeters per year, but with rising sea levels due to climate change, the islands are predicted to be underwater by the end of the century.

Along the canals, it is almost like a rainbow version of Venice. The cobbled paths are also a favorite to explore, and it seems every house in the neighborhood has a distinctive color palette.

I enjoy the natural green spaces, absent in Venice, and take loads of pictures along the idyllic setting.

*Casa Bepi*, one of the first painted houses

I return for sunset to Murano, passing some interesting cathedrals and further admiring the glasswork.

I walk through Venice at night, absorbing the ambiance along the quiet canals.

I make use of the boat pass the next morning with a cruise along the main canal. I listen to a guided podcast as I enjoy the boat ride from the back. I get exclusive access to palaces not visible from the land and see Venice from the perspective of the merchants entering the city since medieval times.

Cold from the boat, I treat myself to a mulled wine and walk through San Marco Plaza one last time, soaking in the details and following another podcast tour. I meander through across the Rialto bridge to the fish market and try a mango cannoli—amazing!

San Marco Plazza
Fish Market
The head of the lion is over 2000 years old

I continue to Dosodorro island, which I only explored briefly, crossing the Academie bridge to the southernmost point of the island with a view of San Marco plaza. I enjoy these smaller canals and bridges and take my time making my way up to the bus stop. I get lost plenty coming up at many dead-ends along the canal, but they are always beautiful. The city is like a real-life maze, with some buildings acting as landmarks, but similar ones often throw me off.

I enjoy the fluffiest tiramisu mousse-styled gelato, and finish exploring the neighborhood with a good ol’ sliced pizza. I leave the quaint canals for the bustling bus station island as the dream-like city fades behind me.

Venice

Posted on November 15, 2021 by krauss-ingtheworld

I am immediately impressed by the beauty of the main canal, sunshine illuminating the churches along it.

The first bridge I see is as charming as any, and I quickly run up the steps, giddy to take tons of photos. I follow the crowd down the main alleys and I stare along the smaller canals at the architectural details. The shape of the windows, the panes, the artwork are all different, in a distinctive Venetian style. I feel as if I’m in a dream, as if a pinch could wake me up from this fantasy destination.

I get stuck at Rialto bridge, the largest and most architecturally unique one. Like Ponte Vecchio in Florence, jewelry shops line the bridge. One distinctive feature is the shops that sells masks, used by aristocrats to celebrate Carnival in anonymity for centuries.

I head towards the iconic San Marco Plaza, marveling at the basilica, one of the most beautiful churches I’ve seen. The facade shines brilliantly with gold. The clock tower is beautiful as well, and I love the details on the old library and offices, now housing boutique shops. I walk down to the bridge of sighs, named for the sighs released by prisoners being marched from the palace to the neighboring dungeon. I think it’s one of the cutest adjoining bridges across two buildings, though there are many others throughout the city.

San Marco’s Basilica
Adjoining Campanile
Doges Palace (of the Duchy of Venice)
Clock tower
Shadows of gods
The old library, now boutiques
The Bridge of Sighs

I join my friend and walk up through the naval institute, world famous and just as stunning visually. We explore the San Marco neighborhood a bit more and dine on some delicious crepes along the canal as it gets dark and cold. We warm up with some drinks along the canal, aperol spritz & hot sangria! It is wonderfully fun to get lost wandering the alleyways.

I am blown away by how quiet it is in the alleys outside of the main pathway. It is so quiet you could here a pin drop, and our voices lower to a whisper. It’s almost scary navigating the dark alleys at night, as if Jack the Ripper could be behind any sharp turn. It is refreshing with no cars trying to run you over, limiting land transport to walking, and the boats don’t make much sound. Because there are no cars, the ambulance, post, and police are all by boat—occasionally zooming past! It is like a real-life version of tv-series Theadore Tugboat, with each boat—especially the gondola—having its own personality.

While there is a strong Halloween vibe to the city, there is also so much charm in the small bridges that lead to people’s homes.

The following morning, I appreciate much of the city in the soft morning light and get to see the even-more-impressive inside of the basilica. The gilded murals and mosaics on the floor take my breath away. I love all the animal motifs, especially the griffins.

We have some lunch in a park after exploring the rest of San Marco. We walk along the water to the only green space on the island (in fact, I’ve only seen one small square of grass in a plaza, and I can count the number of trees). It is more residential here, still in the Venetian style, but more like a neighborhood, with the sheets and laundry flapping in the wind.

We explore new hidden alleyways around the Cannaregio neighborhood, pausing to admire the jellyfish and fish in the Adriatic. The water is somewhat clear, but is usually a sickly green color and sometimes smells of fish or waste.

We cross the city to watch the sunset, across the amazing Academie bridge to the hip neighborhood of Dosedoro. Street art covers the canals, and we even scope out a Banksy original past more cute bridges.

We meet a classmate for an Italian tapa-style dinner, with fried pumpkin flower & cheese/anchovies, ham hash brown triangles, fried cheese and meatballs, and artichokes. Delicious! It is fun seeing all the candy shops with Venetian specialties and cookies, and I finally try a chocolate cannoli for dessert. Exploring plaza San Marco at night has a magical ambiance, with the orchestra playing classics in the background.