Venezia

When Deborah told me that Venice would be like nothing I had ever seen before, I was a little skeptical. The city, not unlike Rome, is after all rather synonymous with Italian tourism. The funny thing is that Venice is indeed quite the tourist spot with its many souvenir shops, expensive restaurants, extremely expensive gondola rides and the infamous list of 'top things to do'. And yet it is surreal, truly something that I had never seen before.

Venice is actually only one of many islands of the Venetian lagoon in the Adriatic Sea. So, the only way to get around the lagoon is via the waterway. The idea fascinated me to no end. If I lived in Venice I would probably have to own a boat instead of a car!

The place apart, this was a trip with no plans. Deborah had insisted that we simply book our train tickets and get there. I had not read anything about the city and had no clue as to what I must expect. Once we got there, we ambled along, stopping for a photograph when something charmed us enough, going along the flow of of tourists to find our way and breaking away from them when we noticed a deserted piazza. I lost track of time. When I glanced at my watch again, it was time to board the train to Milan!

At the end of every trip I try to think of the moment that will define my memory of the trip. I like to think of it as my Aha! moment. But Venice had so many Aha! moments. I hope my photographs can preserve for me those moments at least to some extent.

(Aside: The Aha! moment is actually something I look for when I read a book. It's a nice little activity I picked up during a discussion I once attended on Saul Bellow's Humbolt's Gift...incidentally a book with no Aha! moments for me)

Aha! Moment 1....walking out of the railway station to realise that the only way out of the city is via the water way!

It was a beautiful day...a little chilly but so blue!

Aha! moment 2...Venetian balconies

Aha! moment 3...narrow canals through which gondolas make their way

Deborah was so much fun to be around...here she's writing a postcard to her mother as she chats up with a wayside singer

Italian road signs :D

Gosh those paintings were lovely!

Relaxing with wine at Piazza St. Marco

Aha! moment 4...watching the Venetian sunset

At Murano, another island in Venetian lagoon which is well known for its glass art...the 'garden' in the background is entirely made of glass! I picked up a lovely pair of earrings :)