Why Malaysians Should Visit Venice Before It’s Gone

If you’re a Malaysian and never take a chance on your visa-free entry to Italy, you really should visit Venice before it’s gone.

The news and videos about the Venice acqua alta (flood) are very heartbreaking to me.

Yes, I’ve been there before.

But every time I see the news and videos, my heart sinks a little deeper for the city that I love the most.

Although it isn’t the first time the acqua alta hits Venice, in normal conditions, the tides reach around 80-90 cm.

But last Tuesday, 12 November 2019, the water level reached 187 cm at night – the worst in 53 years.

Venice Before the Flood vs Venice During the Flood

I can’t describe how heartbreaking it is, to look back at your happy travel memories and now see how the flood has dimmed the light of the charming city.

People say ‘pictures speak a thousand words, so perhaps these images will motivate Malaysians, Indonesians and everyone who hasn’t been to Venice to plan the trip.

Before the flood… you can enjoy the view and your coffee with a live orchestra (even dance with your bae)

During the flood…

Before the flood… a memorable Gondola ride

During the flood… perhaps the rubber lifeboat is better

Before the flood… stroll in the city and find beautiful mask shops

During the flood… you’ll be more worried to enter the shops in order not to cause further damage

Before the flood… enjoy the weather, read a book beside the canal or just be present at the moment

During the flood…

Why Venice Means So Much to Me

Venice means so much to me in many ways.

I love the feeling of getting lost in the beautiful alleys, surrounded by beautiful people, amazing food and breathtaking scenery.

On top of that, I toiled day and night for one year to afford the Italy trip. It’s a memory that I would never forget.

“To build a city where it is impossible to build a city is madness in itself, but to build there one of the most elegant and grandest of cities is the madness of genius.”

Alexander Herzen, the “father of Russian socialism”

The Day I ‘Met’ LP in Venice

With so many restaurants in Venice, finally, I rested in a small, comfortable restaurant for a late lunch.

The ambiance was nice and the food was ok. It was soothing to sit inside as the summer weather in Italy wasn’t friendly.

While I was enjoying my food, I saw the MTV channel playing a video of an androgyny woman with a powerful, enchanting voice.

She’s LP – Laura Pergolizzi, a queer American singer who has written songs for famous singers such as Rihanna, Cher, The Backstreet Boys and Christina Aquilera.

Besides “Strange”, some of the LP’s songs that I love are:

• “Lost on You”
• “When I’m Over You”
• “When We’re High”
• “Sex on Fire” – Kings of Leon cover
• “Halo” – Beyonce cover

Also read: “This is the City Where You Should Dress to Kill”
Also read: “Summer in Sorrento”

The Hunt for Harry’s Bar

As usual, I always list down the top bars, cafes and restaurants to visit for each travel destination — and Venice wasn’t an exception!

Harry’s Bar is one of the most famous bars in Venice. It is the birthplace of the famous Bellini drink (fresh peach juice and sparkling wine), a must-visit bar when you’re in the town.

It was quite difficult to find the place as it didn’t have any signage but only the name of the bar on the glass entrance door.

Harry’s Bar turned out to be a high-end bar and with a ‘humble’ wallet, I didn’t order any food but the Bellini drink.

Sat alone at the bar, faced the bartender and bottles of drink, I made a small chat with a woman who sat beside me.

She was a regular in the bar and always comes alone every time she visited Venice.

Small talk turned into a hearty conversation. The bartenders and waiters looked happy to see the friendly woman had a companion.

She asked the bartender to give me some postcards as memorabilia. Furthermore, he allowed me to snap a photo with him too 🙂

For more info and beautiful photos of Venice, click HERE.

There are still some reasons why Venice means so much to me, such as the memory of tasting the original tiramisu at I Tre Mercanti, a small photoshoot session at La Bauta mask shop and enjoying a beautiful, silent night view of Venice while walking back to my hotel.

In the last century, Venice has sunk by about nine inches.

Oceanography experts, Carl Amos and Georg Umgiesser, warned that Venice would disappear by the year 2100 🙁 🙁 🙁

Malaysians, you should really visit Venice before it’s gone. You may still be alive before the town completely disappears, but it won’t be as charming as before…

Should I see the beauty of this world disappeared before I die,
the flashback of travel memories would satisfy me and I shall perish with them.