Fighting the Tide

A handful of people were waiting at the dock on Burano, an island in the Venetian Lagoon, and the approaching vaporetto—a canal boat used for public transport—was almost empty. The narrow streets were silent, while the traditional lace shops and restaurants on the facades of the brightly coloured houses were closed. “At this time of the day it’s usually full of tourists, but look at this!” Bruno, an 83-year-old resident, told us, pointing towards the church in the deserted square.

Bruno’s story is like that of many in Burano. Born on the island into a large fishing family, he left the hard life at sea at a young age to work in tourism. He has worked at the Trattoria da Romano, a local restaurant, since the 1950s. “I’ve always been a waiter; I prefer to fly low,” he said. “Now I clean the fish in the kitchen. I do all the jobs an old man can