No Italian No Service, Kind of

One would think that in Venice Italy, one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, local people would know how to properly extend hospitality to foreign visitors, well think again because Italians idea of proper service is very different than mine and my peers. Having being in Venice once before on a family vacation I knew what I was going to experience; beautiful Venetian architecture, winding canals and waterways, and historic religious monuments that give off a feeling of grandeur. This trip did not disappointed by any means in that regard. The air was just as thick with humidity as I had remembered it. The temperature exceeding 100 degrees and the sun relentless until almost 9 at night. What I didn't remember from my previous visit was the demeanor of the people. Traveling with friends and being a college student let me see Venice in a different way than I did with my family at 13 years old. I was the one speaking with merchants and restaurateurs directly and not through a parental medium. Very quickly I realized that I was not being charged the correct listed price and I was people were trying to rip me off in the heavily toured sites. It dawned on me that this was a bargaining style system and nothing was set it stone. This puts foreigners that don't speak Italian at a great disadvantage when it comes to negotiating price. An example of a sticky situation I found myself in came when a group of us were trying to get to the Heineken Jammin' Festival (headlining Aerosmith). A girl going to the concert made a taxi reservation earlier in the day to pick us up that evening. After we decided that we would take the cheaper means of transportation to the festival we contacted the hotel concierge to cancel the appointment. Little did we know the driver was already waiting for us. Even after the taxi driver left without complaint the hotel concierge, who doesn't work for the taxi service, undermined us and exploited us for a 50 euro fee. The group was extremely upset and we confronted the concierge. I listened to my friend Gino confront the the concierge. she asked why he called the taxi company back after he initially left without argument. He said that there was a 50 euro charge. She asked why if he left and did not ask for money you still called him back. He repeated that there was a 50 euro charge. She said that we were not going to pay the fee. He said we reserved a taxi to which she said yes but we cancelled it. Eventually the conversation ended with us just confused and no amends made.

This negative experience was the most predominant of the multiple tourist traps and scams I experienced while in the beautiful city of Venice. It was somewhat disappointing to experience such a beautiful place in a not so favorable way. I must say that my view of the city is somewhat tainted after my most recent visit. Never again will I remember Venice only as the aesthetically beautiful city, but also as place where if you do not speak Italian you will be taken advantage of.