Chioggia: My New Favorite Place
Scott and I spent a half-day in Chioggia on Saturday, and we both came away feeling like this is our new favorite place in Italy. Pronounced like "kee-YOH-jah", it is also known as Little Venice because of its similar canal systems and definitive charm. The biggest difference between Chioggia and Venice is that in Chioggia you don't feel like a sardine, squished in with all the other million visitors that day. Even though we arrived just before noon on a Saturday, and even though there was a ginormous cruise ship docked a little ways out in the harbor, it had a small town feel, along with a quiet and very relaxing atmosphere.
I promise you, these photos were NOT taken in Venice . . . ha ha
We found a great parking garage with multiple levels (Parcheggio Giove) and only had to walk about 8 minutes to get to this beautiful bridge (above), known as Ponte Vigo.
Here are a few of the quiet scenes we discovered on our walk to Ponte Vigo, which was along a road adjacent to one of the many canals. There were several fishing boats in the canal, parked for the weekend. There were also several family-owned boats, with people getting on board to cruise around for a while on that gorgeous Saturday afternoon in September.
At the end of this street, it curved slightly to the right, and then we could see all the boat docks ahead for the cruises, water taxis, shuttles, etc. This public dock area was directly next to Ponte Vigo.
I would say that these boat stops are similar to a bus stop. This is where we bought tickets for a one-hour cruise around Chioggia and Sottomarina (more about that in a minute). The tickets were very reasonably priced at 10 euros per adult and 5 euros per child.
The map on the poster below shows the route that we took, which also helps to see how Chioggia is "connected" to Sottomarina. (click on the photo to enlarge)
We had about 20 minutes to explore before our cruise began, so we went up and over the Ponte Vigo bridge and I took some photos from a few different angles. Ponte Vigo was built in 1685. How? We don't know . . .
I love a good blue-sky-mixed-with-clouds kind of day for photography. It makes the photos appear more "moody" and dramatic. And I love the sparkle that the water captures and reflects . . .
It was almost time for our boat cruise, so we walked back over to our "boat stop".
The narrator did a good job of sharing stories and fun facts in Italian as well as English, and we also had an English pamphlet with photos to help us know what we were seeing.
Video #2 in the first canal, where I thought the captain was going to attempt to squeeze down a very narrow side canal, but thankfully he just used it as a turnaround spot!! (31 seconds)
We then cruised past Ponte Vigo and headed around the tip of Chioggia to the east.
Video #3 as we passed by some of the large fishing vessels: (22 seconds)
Moody and gorgeous . . .
The fish that are harvested around Chioggia are mainly: gilthead bream, sea bass, sole, sardines, anchovies, prawns, crabs, shrimps, etc. There is also a large industry for clams and mussels in the area.
Next, we headed out a little ways in the sea to see (do you see what I did there) the Fort of San Felice.
We saw a crane and other evidence that work is being done on some of the buildings there, so that's a good thing. Maybe this is in conjunction with it being renovated to some extent for becoming a UNESCO world heritage site, one that would undoubtedly draw in some tourism.
Off in the distance, on the other side of the Fort, we could see another island. We thought it might be Venice, but it turns out Venice is farther away. If you click on the next photo and scrutinize the island off in the distance, this is Pelestrina. Just north of Pelestrina is Lido, a long and narrow island (close to and across from Venice) where the recent Venice Film Festival just took place (and where I was hoping to see George Clooney when I got off the plane on Aug 31).
Finally, our cruise made its way back to the docks. Again, there was that monstrous cruise ship . . .
"The fishermen virgin is called Stella Maris. It is situated before the harbour mouth and it represents a symbol of devotion. Fishermen before going fishing, pray the Virgin for a good fishing and for a safe comeback." (Some words get tangled up when translated and printed into tourist pamphlets, ha ha)
Video #4 as we came back into port - Chioggia on the right and Sottomarina on the far left: (24 seconds)
That may have been the groom talking to a family member or a bridesmaid, but the bride was actually in the small crowd right next to us.
As it turned out, the highly-rated Blu Lantern was not only right back next to our parking garage, but it was completely full (and extremely hot inside). The lady at the counter suggested we come back in at least 30 minutes for a table to open up. But we decided to find another place to eat. So we headed BACK into the main shopping area of Chioggia and found this place by using our eyeballs to spot it as we walked by. It's called Gastronomia Gallo, situated on the busiest street in town, Corso del Popolo.
Inside, there are refrigerated glass cases with all sorts of unidentifiable delectables in each one. You just indicate to the server on the other side what you want and how much (uno, due, etc). They weigh it to let you know how much it costs, then they heat it up for you and you can take it outside to eat while sitting at a table.
I chose a square of my favorite Pasticcio (messy lasagna) and a piece of eggplant with maybe a fish cake of some sort baked on top and some melted cheese. (in the photo below it's in the lower right, "Melanzane Ripiene")
There were several things on the menu listed on the wall, but I'm not sure if all of these were offered during the lunch hour or if some were reserved for dinner later in the day. All very affordable prices, though.
The one other place I wanted to visit (for now) in Chioggia was to see their famous clock tower, which professes to be the oldest clock in the world. It was just up the street, maybe a 3 minute walk. But first we wanted to see the old church across from where we ate our lunch.
The Church of Saint Giacamo was built in the mid-1700's. (click photo to read the English explanation)
This was perhaps a place to wash (or be washed by the priest in ancient times) as you enter the doors of the church - -
Video of the alley, down to the cute little red truck at the other end: (1 min, 5 seconds)
Back down the canal street one more time . . .
What I was surprised, but happy to see, was that the water was so shallow for a long ways out. I saw people way out in the water, and it was only up to their shins!
Next to this north beach is a dyke that goes out for what feels like miles. Several people were walking along the paved path, bicycling, sunbathing, and even fishing off the sides.
I stopped to watch a couple of snorkelers for a few minutes, to see what they were trying to find. Turns out, they were fishing for crabs!
Video of the crab fisherman: (25 seconds)
He got one! I watched him add it into his netted bag with the pincher/grabbers (his tool).
Eventually, we walked back along the path to head on home.
The epicenter of the earthquake was centered between Marrakesh and Agadir, up in the mountains. Here is a screenshot that was helpful to me. (click photo to enlarge)
Abdo had just received a surgery to repair his broken right leg, and it would be a few more days before he could go home. We chatted every day from that point on, mostly with texts, but we did do a video call one day.
While he had to stay in the hospital for so many days, he is a person who does not like to sit still. He likes to exercise and have adventures and meet new people and have interesting conversations. So, even though he was in some pain, he would still get up and move around a few times each day. He told me about a little 4-month old baby girl who was in the same ward of the hospital where he was. She had lost her parents and two brothers in the earthquake, and was the only one in her family who survived. Two of her aunts came to the hospital to help care for the baby, and Abdo would go check on her as often as he could, every few hours. He said she was very cute, and that her name is Firdaws. It means "paradise".
He also mentioned another young man that he met in the hospital. This young man broke his femur bone in a motorcycle accident as he was driving from Casablanca to Agadir. There were local people who would come to the hospital every day, bringing food, drinks, and even money to those who were suffering after the earthquake. Abdo would share some of what little he had been given with this young man, such as milk, water, and food. He is one of the kindest people that I know and is always thinking about others. He is really quite remarkable.
Here he is, before his injury.
I also read online recently about another devastating earthquake that hit Agadir back in 1960, killing 1/3 of all the residents! Thankfully, no one in Abdo's direct family died, although his grandmother's cousin died in the tragedy.
ANYWAY . . . I finally got all of the details about his experience during the earthquake during our texting conversation today. Here is Abdo's story, in his own words. (I have permission to share) Keep in mind that his two main languages are French and Arabic. He is getting much better with his English, though.
"On Friday 09/08/2023 at 22:55, I was sitting alone in the dining room in which with my parents and my sister gathered. My parents and my sister were out of the house at that time, and I was only with my uncle in the house, and my uncle was in the basement of the house. I was on the top floor, and while I was sitting alone in the dining room in which I gathered with my parents and my sister, suddenly and exactly at 23:00, I felt everything around me moving in an unusual way, and even continuously and increasingly, suddenly and quickly.
"I realized that it was a sudden earthquake, and I was confused about my situation, while the earthquake continued and increased, and I said to myself, should I go down the stairs or should I throw myself out of the window, because I was in a moment of great panic and fear, and I said to myself again, “If I go down the stairs, I might... It is too late and the whole house falls on me and I die. Suddenly, the only solution and the last option is to jump out of the window from the upper floor. When I wanted to jump out of the window, I saw my uncle near the door and he said to me, “No, do not jump,” and I told him, “I will jump.” I have no other choice) and suddenly I jumped out of the window without wearing shoes and suddenly my right leg broke at the level of the leg. My uncle and I were the first two people to quickly leave the house in the neighborhood in which we live. Then all the people and neighbors, old and young, left. They were screaming, and some of them went out without clothes, and everyone was screaming and crying, and I too was crying hard from the heat of the fracture in my leg until my uncle and a young man from one of the neighbors came and carried me to the middle of the street.
"I saw a young man I know riding on a motorcycle and I said to him, “Is it possible?” To take me to the hospital and he said to me, “Yes, come on.” As we were walking on our way to the hospital, we saw many people, families, and young children screaming and crying out of fear, sitting in front of their homes. After I arrived at the hospital, a security guard came and carried me in a wheelchair and stood up. They admitted me into the hospital, and the hospital was full, and then the doctor came and examined me, and he saw my legs through the screen and told me that he needed an operation as soon as possible, and the next day I had the operation, and thank God it was successful."
Poor Abdo. I'm so sorry that he was hurt during all the chaos and confusion. He told me, too, that he is famous in Agadir as being the only person to jump from an upper story window and that also got hurt because of it.
Scott just landed in Agadir this evening, after a long day of travel. He left the house at 2:00 a.m. last night and has traveled from here to Venice, then to Madrid, then to Casablanca, and finally to Agadir. He will check on Abdo this week in person, which will help me feel some relief.
God is good, and God is kind. Sometimes bad things happen to good people, but that doesn't mean He loves us any less. He is always with us, no matter what we are going through.
As for the rest of the week . . .
My sister, Melanie, and her family stayed at my house back in Idaho so they could visit their married daughter who lives nearby. Melanie reported that she enjoyed feeing "chilled" up north, instead of dealing with the intense Arizona heat that they have endured for several months.
I finally got some cute photos of Avery recently. I hope to see her soon while I'm in Italy.
Here is the cutest video of Avery brushing Mocha's fur, while she (the dog) patiently allows herself to be groomed: (36 seconds)
Meanwhile Jack is doing all of his chores, and seems pretty happy while he works! ha ha
Video of Jack learning how to wash dishes in his new toy sink: (22 seconds)
*His attention to detail is incredible. I can tell he's been watching his parents very closely . . .
Jacob shared this handsome photo with us, taken by the University of Minnesota as part of his program.
And Chelsea celebrated her 2nd wedding anniversary with Garret by visiting Moab, Utah and doing some hikes together.
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