Note from Ermes: If you don’t know Flat Stanley, you can find his presentation to the community in this post: Flat Stanley Went to Italy - the prologue
Hello, my name is Stanley, “Flat” Stanley.
When I was drawn two months ago, and my classmates then put me in an envelope, I knew I was going to Treviso, and that Treviso is a city close to Venice.
I’m not afraid to travel and I find envelopes very comfortable, but throughout the journey I wondered what Treviso was like. I had heard of Venice (people talk a lot and don’t care if there is an envelope near them) and that many people went to visit it, and I had heard that it was ancient and built on water. But about Treviso, nothing.
After a smooth week of traveling inside my envelope, I’ve finally arrived. Ermes pulled me out and I finally got to see him: he’s tall, with short white hair and beard. With the others he speaks a language I don’t understand, but with me both he and @AntonellaGr speak English.
After a few days he took me to see Treviso, at least a part, and during the visit he explained to me what I was seeing.
Treviso, the history
He told me that Treviso is a medieval city (which means quite old), surrounded by walls protected by a river, a bit like you see in certain films where there are castles and knights. Well, Treviso is like this, like a castle but bigger.
To enter the city you go through gates, and so we did, although now there are roads that enter without using gates.
Treviso in the Middle Ages was part of the Republic of Venice, and this is understood because the symbol of Venice, the Winged Lion, is present on all the doors. A symbol is like a logo, but larger and made of carved stone, not printed.
Treviso, The Gates
We entered through one of the smaller gates, called Porta Altinia. Of course, to enter we had to cross a bridge over the river.
The first thing I noticed is that even inside the city there are many waterways, large and small.
In the bigger ones there are also people riding boats, while in the smaller ones there are a lot of birds. I even met a swan walking down the street.
But then Treviso is like Venice, I thought. Ermes says no. Oh well, when I see Venice I will understand.
Treviso, the water
Water in Treviso is very important, and runs through the whole city. Ermes says it was once used to produce energy, and he showed me the water wheels. There are so many. They are moved by the water, and were once used to move machines. There are a lot of flowers on the bridges, and it often feels like walking into a garden instead of a city.
Treviso, the arcades
Treviso is also a city full of arcades, where you can walk indoors even when it rains. There are narrow porticoes and others that are very wide, some are like covered squares, Ermes says that those are called Logge, and that in the Middle Ages the most important people of the city gathered there: the Lords and the Knights.
In the largest square, which is called Piazza Dei Signori (Square Of The Lords), there is also a beautiful carousel for children.
Treviso, city of Arts
Treviso is also called “the painted city” because on the walls of the buildings and under the arcades there are ancient paintings, which are called frescoes. But there are also very new paintings, and beautiful statues. I think I’ll have to write more about this one day.
I like Treviso very much, and I asked Ermes to go back again, because there are many things I want to see
A question for you:
I’m so curious, so I ask you: how is your city? Do you want to tell me? Maybe then I or one of my brothers could come and see you, and you could take me around like Hermes is doing with me. I send all the photos to my classmates, and they are happy, because it’s like they are traveling with me.
See you soon with another story
I take this opportunity to say hello to the friends I’ve met here in Connect, who live in different parts of the world
- @PaulPavlinovich and @PennyChristie . Both of the have a nice “Flat” friend
- @SholaIB and @Sagir . They are from Nigeria, Shola is a funny and good person, and Sagir is a great and honest person
- @Cecilita , from Argentina
- @alramaah , from Saudi Arabia
- @rosanabtl , from Brazil, but with Italian parents
- Kashif Misidia , from Pakistan. He’s a great friend of Ermes (and mine) but they never met in person, because they are not able to travel inside an envelope
- @Gezendunyali , from Turkey. He has a great smile
- Rosy Kohli , from India. Hey, she know two of my brothers
- @ChiaraMariaC , from Germany. She’a a great and great and great person, and she loves flowers
, Paolo, and they are my friends.
Here are more bridges than in Venice and 
