I have been to Venice before, but that was a long time ago, perhaps forty years. When I planned my itinerary I thought: let me see Venice once more before I die. I am so glad I made the effort to come here.
The Basilica of Saint Mark was originally consecrated in 1094 and expanded for centuries afterwards. If it seems oriental that is because it is, being heavily influenced by Byzantine style. The basilica is shaped like a Greek cross and it has five magnificent cupolas.
When I was here before I remember just walking into the church. Those days are now gone. I had to wait in line first in the hot sun to visit the loggia (affording great views) and the museum. There was a service going on at the time, so the church itself was not accessible. But we could hear the choir singing -- and it was magnificent. Later the screens blocking the view of the nave were removed and we could see the interior from the upper loggia. Breathtaking! I came back later to go into the church (and had to stand in line again). There are so many people here. Forty years ago there were fewer people on the planet and since then, with the liberation of Eastern Europe and Russia, the pool of tourists has swelled even more. (I have run into Russians and Chinese everywhere.)
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