An italian scholar discovered that the origin of @, sign used in email communications, is Italian. It was invented by Italian merchants at least 500 years ago. The symbol  stands for “anphora”, which was aweight unit used by ancient Greeks and Romans. The “anphora” (@) is the misure of capacity based on terracotta jars used for transportation in the ancient Mediterranean world. For example Lapi wrote, describing the arrival in Sapin of three Ships bearing gold and silver from Latin America in that way: “Three an @ of wine, which is one thirtieth of a barrel, is worth 70 or 80 ducats”.

An interesting Quiz for you:
Do you know that “a piece” of Venice is present in every e mail Address?
Look at your complete e-mail address and post what do you think is the answer.
Try to find it!

It’s Friday, I am thinking about what to do after work and the idea is… “bacari tour” in Venice!

The “giro per bacari” is a sure-fire way of experiencing the real Venice; the locals do that as perfect prelude to a meal and a funny way to meet with friends for a ful-fledged bacaro crawl “Bacari” and “Osterie”, simply furnished with wooden tables and benches are the local down-to-earth version of wine-bar. A bar with a false neglected look to remind the old Venetian shabby osteria, nowadays very researched and frequented meeting point for younger and adults.

In a “bacaro” you can drink a wine glass named from local “ombretta” and I suggest to order the local most famous drink “Spriz” (mixture of white wine, Campari and soda water) for aperitif form 6 p.m. to 21 p.m. and more. Together with spriz it’s impossible resist the tempting “cicheti”; tipical are the tasty barcounter snacks and the fried fish.

Absolutely try:

Sarde in saòr (Marinated sardines)
Baccalà mantecato (creamy dried cod)
Folpetti (baby octopus)

The most famous Bacari are concentrated in Rialto Bridge zone, all around the fruit and vegetable market. Here there is the famous “Cantina Do Mori“. Then “I Assasini” near “La Fenice” theatre and “Alla Vedova” in Canareggio sestriere.