Ponte (Day 2)

First day of work, and another opportunity to get completely lost on the way, had it not been for my trusty colleague pointing out recognisable landmarks to help me find my way home, other than leaving a trail of breadcrumbs. Interestingly lots of these points of interest involved bridges or views from said bridges. There are hundreds of bridges in Venice. Over 450 to be precise (or not so precise). It made Tim Davies' 'Bridges' piece at the Welsh pavillion seem rather appropriate when I arrived. They even erect pontoon floating bridges on certain inportant dates and festivals throughout the Venetian calendar, some stopping all boat traffic for a day or so.

On my way back to the apartment I had to cross nine of them. I now understand there are lots of lovely names for the bridges of Venice (thanks to Jan Morris Author of Venice, one of the best travel books I've read). Tomorrow I might go and seek out the Ponte del Tette (bridge of tits) where the working girls flaunted their wares in the 1300's. This bridge obviously proved to be a lucrative location as in 1644 a decree was enforced to control the income and activity of the ladies. It stated that they could not travel on the Grand Canal during business hours, enter a church on a feast day or during services, travel in a boat with two oars, wear gold jewelery or real or false pearls, they were to pay no more than 100 ducati in rent (meaning they could not live in lavish palaces) and banned from testifying in criminal trials or taking clients to court.

Anyway...enough facts, here's a picture of lots of bridges all in a row.