I had the pleasure of visiting a fascinating place
that has been on my “bucket list” for as long as I can remember: Venice.
It was all that I hoped it would be and more. How do you describe a
city without cars, taxis, buses or trucks?
Even bicycles are absent. You walk everywhere--up one bridge and down
another; or you hop in a boat. A city so silent at night that you wake
from the lack of noise. I found the experience of Venice to be
profoundly complicated. On the one hand you have the
stunning art, architecture, food and visions of a city floating in the
sea. On the other hand, if you have any challenge with mobility, you are
faced with a difficult task getting from one place to another. I
wondered how people needing assistive technology
navigated this city. Wheelchairs were few and appeared to be used
mostly by tourists. The option of pulling up to your front door and
getting into a car is not possible. Getting into a bobbing boat from a
floating dock is tricky on two legs, never mind from
a wheelchair or on crutches. Canes seemed to be everywhere and baby
carriages less cumbersome than chairs. So, I take my hat off to the
residents, travelers and explorers who in spite of their challenges, made
a complicated city part of their life experience.
I hope they found it worth the effort! I know I did.Submitted by
Chris Gallant
No comments:
Post a Comment