Taking a selfie in front of Doge Palace, Traveling While Black in Venice

Taking a selfie in front of Doge Palace in St. Mark’s Square; (c) Soul Of America

Traveling While Black in Venice

A sister, just an average sister, used an Italian airline for her Venice to Paris flight. The flight was canceled at the last minute and the next flight left over 5 hours later. The passengers were not given any explanation for the flight cancellation and the normally vocal Italians didn’t complain, since flight delays were so common.

Fortunately, she was able to schedule an overnight stop-over in Paris or she would have missed her international flight.

You never know who shares your politics. The loud blare of an alarm sounded when one sister walked through the metal detectors at Marco Polo Airport in Venice. Embarrassed, she reached into her pocket and extracted her African-Americans for Kerry for President & Edwards for Vice-President button.

It was a few days before the November 2008 elections, and she had stuffed it into her jeans after hearing Osama Bin Laden on CNN declaring war on all Americans.

The young, blond Italian security guard took the button, read it carefully, and laughed. “Obama,” she said, and then scrunched up her face and looked upwards, struggling to translate her thoughts into English. “I hope he wins,” she managed finally.

“We do not like the Bush.” She returned the pin and smiled brightly.

Arriving in Venice at night, the sister ventured into the Bacaro Jazz Club to ask for directions to her hotel. She felt at home in the loud bar, where jazz played on the system and photos of Billie Holiday and Duke Ellington peered down from the walls.

An English-speaking Italian high-school student named Marco agreed to help her navigate the narrow, cobble-stoned streets. Dressed in the uniform of his private academy, he carried her heavy bag and acted as interpreter to get directions to the hotel.

Finding the hotel proved difficult, yet the good-natured Marco continued lugging her bag and asking directions for almost an hour. When they arrived at the hotel, he adamantly refused to take any money for his time and trouble. He embodied the generosity that Italians are known for.

Compared to Rome, there are few Blacks living in Venice. That said, African American tourists are treated much better than in many places of the U.S. Perhaps it’s because Blacks from the U.S. military come through here often as well-behaved tourists.

You will also encounter African vendors selling discounted designer purses on the streets of Venice. Aside from merchant sales, they aren’t treated as well due to the perceived and sometimes real issue of African and Middle Eastern Immigration in Italy.

Our sense is that they know African Americans are tourists spending money then leaving vs. Africans relocating to Italy and competing for jobs.

Stories of Italian men “trying to hit” on sisters are real in Venice, but not nearly as much as in Rome. Many men stare and smile. take it in stride. And if you are a big shopper on vacation, the end of February is a good time to visit for sales.

If it’s raining, run into a cafe and relax. Don’t get frustrated trying to read maps in the rain. Before leaving your hotel, check the weather report. Venice can have sunshine and rain on the same day.

The flip side is handsome brothers, well-cut often draw admiring eyes from Italian women. Just be careful if you’re alone at a club getting “play” from an Italian woman then walk outside at night with her or alone. You never know who might get jealous. Don’t overdrink and use your Bat-sense.

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