Weber gondolas float on purple roses

Novella
1. Auflage 2023
ISBN: 978-3-7578-3995-6
Verlag: BoD - Books on Demand
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: 6 - ePub Watermark

E-Book, Englisch, 132 Seiten

Anja and Tito can't believe their luck when the eccentric editor-in-chief of La Lettera asks them to cover the latest edition of the legendary Venice Biennale. But the seemingly routine trip quickly takes a turn as Tito grapples with increasingly complex feelings towards his long-time colleague and friend. From smashed up artworks in the Giardini and the fragile wonders of Murano to vain celebrations in a decrepit Lido hotel, Venice is ripe with symbols and mystery in this highly introspective story. Come along on a journey through the ephemeral city that unravels the innermost nature of love and life itself.

Tom Weber is a state-certified translator and writer, born in Luxembourg in 1996. After studying German literature in Trier for three years, he completed his training as a translator at the Translator's School in Cologne. Since 2014, he has been writing literary texts, and his work has been recognised with the third prize at the 'Prix Laurence' in 2017 and the first prize in the "writers under 25" category of the Luxembourg National Literary Competition in 2020. His poems have been published in magazines and anthologies in Luxembourg, Germany, Belgium, and Greece.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Weber, Tom

Leseproben

Chapter 3

Venice Day 1

Tito is no stranger to the city of Venice, having been enchanted by its splendour many times before. Travelling to Venice is quite different from travelling anywhere else. There is an uncanny sort of reverence that starts to build up inside you as you pack your luggage, a longing that slowly tucks at the soul, pulling you towards the liquid streets.

Venice is a silent city, floating on the water like a Buddhist monk in deep meditation. Despite being subjected to the frenzied rush of mass tourism in recent years, it remains a complete antithesis to modern society. Those who opt to spend some time in Venice have to take it slow to get to know the city and earn its trust. Procrastination and distraction, vices in a world that feeds on your attention, become virtues in Venice, and only those who are willing to take a break once in while without worrying about wasting time will truly understand the essence of this place.

But Venice is also a place that can reveal that which is hidden, as visitors might get lost not just in the countless alleys, but also in themselves. Those who explore Venice earnestly and don't content themselves with seeing the through the eyes of a tourist will leave with a wealth of knowledge. It is a gorgeously horrid city that seduces its visitors and reveals to them in the murky glow of its lagoon the faces of people they thought they had lost long ago.

Tito first visited Venice with his parents many years ago, shortly before graduating from secondary school. To this day, he remembers first setting foot in this bizarre city as a truly surreal experience. Water is Venice's defining element, and its fluid, infinitely mouldable qualities define the uneasy ground on which travellers and locals alike walk. Many experiences of this first trip stuck with Tito, including the first time he crossed a wrong bridge and suddenly lost all sense of where he was, the haunting emptiness of deserted squares at night, the refreshing sea air in his face on the deck of a packed vaporetto, and the subtle but profound melancholy of the open sea that surrounds the city. Tito always found that there is an odd sadness to Venice. Even if you are enjoying yourself, the city serves as a continual reminder of your own transience. You never completely feel like you've arrived in Venice. You're always a traveller, always just , always checking your watch while enjoying a quick refreshment to make sure that you don't miss your next train.

On board the vaporetto to Venice, Tito is busy taking pictures of his surroundings.

'Are you sure we'll need that many photos for the article?' Anja asks jokingly.

'Well, we're not here for work, are we? Might as well enjoy ourselves a little bit…'

As the two of them take in the stunning architecture of the floating city, Tito glances over at Anja and briefly lingers on her smile. It's not a euphoric smile, not a joy that arises from the exuberance of the moment, but a calm smile that draws its happiness from the quiet contentment of what is yet to come.

Tito tries his best to focus on work and asks Anja to go over their plan for the week one more time. While the Biennale will take up most of their time, they will have some opportunities to do some exploring of their own. Spontaneously, the two colleagues decide to visit the island of Murano, since Anja has never been there before. Later in the week, they will also get a chance to explore the Lido, home to the famous Venice Film Festival. Anja documents their ideas in her notebook, where she meticulously records everything from daily schedules to interview prompts.

As Tito is doing his best to keep his balance while taking more pictures, Anja is once again intensely studying her brochure about the Biennale. She is a perfectionist through and through, and once a topic has piqued her interest, she can spend hours taking in even the most minute details. Tito is similarly passionate, but he has learned through the years that his focus usually comes in intense bursts that come and go rapidly. Whereas Anja can easily hyperfocus on a task for extended periods of time, Tito is a bit more sporadic but once he is in the flow, he can manage impressive workloads in a relatively short amount of time. Together, the two of them are a force to be reckoned with, as Mr Malnate is well aware.

The vaporetto arrives at the Sestiere San Marco. Even though both Anja and Tito are carrying heavy bags filled with laptops and expensive camera equipment, the two of them can't resist exploring St Mark's Square, the heart of the floating city, before heading to their hotel.

Although Tito has seen it before, he is absolutely overwhelmed by the sight that presents itself to him. The square itself is a peculiar shape, moving surprisingly far into the depth of space and slightly tapering towards the end. But the highlight of the piazza, and perhaps the entire city, is, of course, St Mark's Basilica, this temple straight out of a fairy tale. While Anja and Tito are busy admiring the imposing structure, the square around them is bustling with life, as it so often is. Tourists from all over the world zoom across the square, snapping photos, and queuing for entrance to the basilica or a trip up the Campanile, Venice's iconic bell tower. Further down the square is the legendary Caffè Florian, Europe's oldest coffeehouse. A mysterious figure sits at one of its neatly decorated tables and seems to have taken an interest in the two journalists who have just entered the square.

is a middle-aged man with brunette hair and a shaved face. He is not particularly tall, but not extraordinarily short either. His hair is combed back, revealing a high, scarred forehead and visibly greying temples. His large mouth stands out in particular as it contrasts sharply with his slender cheek area. He's dressed in a dark blue waistcoat over a white shirt, and he's wearing gold rimless glasses that seem to bore unnaturally deeply into the bridge of his nose, giving his gaze something piercing, but at the same time almost distorting his overall appearance into a caricature of a mad writer. In front of him is a glass that seems to contain some kind of red juice, and next to it a small book. Unbeknownst to Tito, has just recognised him.

As Anja and Tito make their way past the , Tito notices the odd Venetian melancholy creeping up inside him. It is a most bizarre phenomenon that he only ever experiences in Venice. It is impossible to distance yourself from the . As soon as you set foot in its lagoon, the city takes hold of you and drapes its peculiar veil over your eyes. One more reason to choose your path through Venice wisely.

The Melagrana Hotel is less than 200 metres from St Mark's Square. It is a classically furnished hotel with large marble columns and inviting wooden floors in the bar and lobby. The ever-so-charming Camillo immediately recognises one of his best friends entering the hotel and gives Tito a firm hug.

'Look at you, covering the Biennale with your fancy camera gear. I always knew you'd make the papers!'

Camillo exudes positivity and charm. While his job as a receptionist requires him to wear a rather serious suit, he somehow manages to pull it off as casual. He and Tito bonded many years ago over their mutual tendencies. Together, they have been to countless wineries, hiked through lush forests, and tasted their way through nearly every delicacy the Italian peninsula has to offer. But while most of Tito's days end after dinner, Camillo is more than happy to break some hearts on the nearest dancefloor.

After some more chatting, Camillo hands Anja and Tito their room keys, which are attached to sturdy bronze seahorse pendants. After a short climb up the stairs, the two travellers arrive in front of their respective first-floor rooms, which are right next to each other. As they are both a bit tired from the trip, Anja and Tito decide to settle for dinner at the hotel restaurant and agree to meet in the lobby at half past seven.

The Melagrana is exactly as Tito remembers it. The rooms, like the rest of the hotel, are rather traditional, with wooden floorboards and antique-style furnishings. Above the Queen-sized bed hangs a replica of Pieter Bruegel's . Glancing at it curiously, Tito remembers an article he wrote with Anja about this particular artwork and how it is disputed whether it was actually painted by Pieter Bruegel the Elder at all.

While putting away some of his luggage in the surprisingly spacious wardrobe, Tito can't help but think about Anja. There it is again, that feeling rising from deep within, tightening around his stomach, and increasing his heart rate as if he'd just jogged around the block. 'God, it's annoying to be in love,' Tito thinks, half-jokingly. But all the coping strategies in the world can't help him dodge the very obvious question that he will have to answer sooner or later: What the hell is he supposed to do about these feelings? Tell Anja and hope for the best, like some mad protagonist in a romance novel? Or fight his own emotions and descend to unknown levels of self-loathing and despair, eventually changing his name to Alexei and dragging himself to the end of his Tolstoy-inspired tragedy of a life?

Tito knows that, for now, he doesn't have any answers. But maybe it's okay not to have any on the first evening.

This was the favourite saying of Tito's father. One thing Bernardo taught his son very...