veni, vidi, eram victus VENICE

If Google translate is to be believed, my heading translates as I came, I saw, I was overcome by Venice.

I am only one month home from my last european journey, but my travel partners have pushed me to schedule our next journey for this fall. When I told my friend Romain where we were planning to go, he exclaimed...AGAIN! Where are we off to? Venice, of course! (We will also visit Malcesine, Lake Garda, but that's another story.)

I first visited Venice for two nights in 1970 with my brother where we stayed in a closet-like windowless room near the train station. In the years since I have been lucky to revisit the city for increasingly longer stays and to discover and experience the different sestiere; Cannaregio, Castello, Santa Croce, and the Lido. I've yet to stay in San Polo, but this year we will get to stay in San Marco, in an apartment in a small palazzo directly on the Grand Canal. It took 40 years to go from a windowless room to rooms with a view!

Despite what you have heard about the throngs of tourists in Venice (which is true) it is very easy to avoid them and find the beauty and serenity of the city. This blog was actually inspired by a trip to Venice. The photos above in the Focused heading graphic were taken in Venice.
 

The Gondolas



This was a luck shot taken near Piazza San Marco.

As you can see though, there are gondola photo-ops practically on every corner.



 

 The Grand Canal



The windows of the Ca'Rezzonico saporetto stop clearly reflect Palazzi on the other side of the Grand Canal.

  

The Rialto Bridge also on the Grand Canal, even on an over-cast day is mezmerising.



And when it rains, what better way is there to dry your umbrella?



This is why I go back!

To see old views in a new way.



For the art; whether it be in the churches, on the water, and in shop windows.

 

Ah Venice!