Presepio and the new bridge

It wouldn’t be Christmas without the school nativity play. In Spain the nativity scene, “Belen”, is proudly displayed in the town. In Italy it is called the “Presepio” and is a normal Christmas decoration in all Italian households. In Venice, there was a display of great “Presepios”. The best was the model that placed the birth of Jesus Christ in old Venice.

In this model, the Rialto Bridge and the Campanile can be seen in the background. People in the street are seen wearing the traditional Venetian carnival mask. The famous gondola also appears in the model, along with Venetian ship builders working in the docks. Other traditional Venetian crafts are displayed and Roberto kindly explained each of them to me.


A Venetian Presepio.


Inside a Carnival Mask Shop.

We headed back to Piazzale Roma to catch the Vaporetto back home. On this visit we were able to use the newest bridge in Venice, Ponte di Calatrava. This is the infamous fourth bridge over the Grand Canal. They have finally opened it and I out-sprinted Monica to ensure that I was the first to cross it!

The bridge is named after the Spanish Architect Santiago Calatrava and has been beset with problems and critics. Problems with the design (amazingly they forgot to add wheelchair access so it breaks the Italian disability laws), construction (the footings were too heavy and the fondamenta could not support the weight), and costs (well over budget and seen as a waste of money by most Venetians). It finally opened (well behind schedule) on September 11, 2008.


Ponte di Calatrava at night.

The bridge looks quite nice in the dark Venetian night. A modern mixture of steel and glass that twists over the canal connecting the Railway station to the bus terminal. Standing on the bridge you do feel movement as it vibrates due to the pedestrians walking over it, even though there were only a few people about. What will it be like in summer when the place is packed?


On the bridge (I was First!).