I went to Venice with trepidation, fearing the worst. As a native of Barcelona, I know what tourism has brought to major cities and so many other places, whether cultural or natural.
But, to my surprise, my stay in Venice was pleasant and peaceful. I discovered a quiet, everyday city, close at hand, yet with a certain air of decline that I couldn’t help but associate with the austerity imposed on the citizens since the financial crisis of 2008.
It was, therefore, on the fringes of the tourist area that I discovered the people of Venice going about their daily business, children playing in the squares at dusk, neighbours greeting one another and chatting; and, at the same time, I could see that the coexistence between humans and other animals seemed to be based on mutual tolerance.
Indeed, Venice was still inhabited.
