Tourism has been part of the Venetian landscape since the 14th century, when pilgrims stopped en route to the Holy Land. So what’s so different about tourism now? I ask Ortalli. Now, Venice gets giant cruise ships. The ship is then stories high. You can’t understand Venice from the storied up. You might as well be in a helicopter. But it’s not important. You arrive in Venice, write a postcard, and remember what a wonderful evening you had.