Macon (CA 132) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 129 text:

ST MARKS CHURCH Venice — what could be said about this city that has not aheady been spoken? Fielding calls it . . an absurd and wonderful dream . . . staid and somber citizens many centuries ago carved for themselves a slice of the sea and proceeded to erect buildings on top of the waves. Venice — it never really exists at all. Before you go, and after you have retinned, and often while you are there, Venice is not real — it is a state of mind. Vho can stand near a palace Ct centuries old, a magnificent church 9 centuries old, in a city built 1500 years ago; who can ab- sorb all this without putting himself back in the day when Venice was king. In those times a large part of the old Roman empire vas under her control. Her fleets ruled the Mediterranean, bringing back treasures and tradition from the East. The city was young and splendid, with marble palaces and enormous homes; it had hundreds of shops for jewelers and merchants, decorators and tailors. In your imagination, what could be a better time to live? ST MARKS SQUARE lllfl ' m Venice has chan — dirty, and oftei mains, as it alwa) change. The sam still remain. The heritage, even if tl with their history. The fancy gondol, torized ferries, the pair, the Bridge tourists — but stil in one ' s mind. TIk be present. Just and he will recrea This, then, is V new, rich and po some its an ama art, to others it ' s in your state of r ufflH ' :d now. I Her — far older poor. BuiHffll tradition re- will. The old city can not canals which t ave it fame eople could not escape their y wished to do so. They live ind constantly keep it alive. have been re)jlaced by mo- buildings are in need of re- Sighs is now aossed only by enice is unchanged, if only aura of gl riHm will always any citize H e your guide, that life fo u instantly. ice — a city at once old and fantastic and common. To ng and f ascinf iting work of of watec ldirt — it is al nd. Ve

Page 128 text:

EN of Genoa had H:ial meaning iw jolt ' ilibugh, because it is fi H with memo- iits nt tlic city ' s famous explorer Hen like John i. chill and Christopher Coiwmb Bved and left ,hnin hcie to bring America w m the known ' Vurld, and history such as that isiiKt inating for ■anv )ue if discover. There was mui li more for you Ixfsidc ; history in Genoa. It w.is yoiu- first tjsie of frjlian cooking, your first time at an Aipej a. There was a huge cemetery, so ornate that lt •deemed iike a city of tiny moniunents rather f mausoleums. V ' T f '

Page 130 text:

BRIDGE OF SIGHS VENICE • LEGHORN • PISA From a single castle in the tenth century, Leghorn floinished until today it vies with Geona as the leading port of Italy. Leghorn is the home of the Italian Naval Academy and War College and still maintains its traditional heritage of religious and academic freedom for all. From Leghorn we scattered in many directions with Pisa and Florence as the main places of interest. The city of Leaning Tower fame, Pisa, bor- ders on the province of Tuscany which is re- j)utedly the most colorful section of Italy. The Leaning Tower is used to summon the towns people for services in the sparkling black and white marble cathedral and ba]Jtistry which stand nearby. The structure, began in 1174, be- gan to settle in the soft terrain before it was completed, and despite builders ' efforts to com- pensate for this, it now has a 12 foot inclination. Nearby is the city of Florence. Florence is ART! She is a city indescribably opulent in all art forms. Florence mothered the Renaissance and many of the men whose creations comprised the finest art of that period. Florence is indeed a find to all who care to see and enjoy the works of such masters as Cellini, DiVinci, and Botticelli. Here also you found the famous statue of David sculptured by the twenty-eight year old Michelangelo. You also were impressed by the towering dome of the Cathedral of Florence and the structural perfection of the Palazzo Vec- chio which served for many years as the seat of the municipal government.