My home city of London has been desecrated by over-development; sold out to the highest bidder and asset stripped at the expense of its citizens.
Venice; the only other city I know and love as well as my own, is now sadly starting to make the same the mistakes. Soulless identical shops selling the same manufactured aboard handbags, that destroy local business. Out of place architecture tainted by big money, which fails in its basic function. Now there seems to be a concerted effort to bring in as many spending tourists as possible, which by sheer numbers also endanger the city. I do not know if this is the final squeeze of the ‘La Serenissma’ before she yields to the waves, but certainly Venice deserves better.
If you visit one of the many souvenir shops the postcards you will find show the city many years ago and perpetuate a lie. The truth may be uncomfortable, but at least my postcards highlight the awful changes with a sprinkle of humour.
When the view is the back of someone else’s head…
Identical handbag shops, selling cheap goods that are not even locally produced..
When ‘Starchitecture’ fails in its basic function…