The sights which see me coming back year after year.
This is my 3rd year of coming back to Venice for Venice Carnival… However, those who know me, will know I’ve been coming regularly to Venice, since my back-packing days, in the late 1970’s, and with Ann, my wife, since the early 2000’s, which is most years, bar a few when we went elsewhere in Italy. However, Venice always draws me back, and should our numbers ever come up… a second home on the Lido overlooking the City, would be a must lol.
It was a dark and cold early late February morning when Bert arrived at our house… he had travelled over from the Wirral, and had already picked up Martin (who also goes every year at this time), before loading my own case into his 4×4… all 3 of us of course, had our hand luggage close about us, as our hand-luggage, contain our precious cameras… I of course had spent an agonising couple of weeks as usual, trying to decide which cameras, out of the 12 I’m using at the moment, would best suit my needs for this trip…. and I had settled with, a Lumix G (visible), a Lumix G converted to a 590nm + full array of IR filters and lenses, and a Lumix pocket super zoom… for the evenings…
After ‘greet and meet’ at Manchester airport, we made our way through customs, and onto our Easyjet, direct flight to Venice (Marco-Polo), arriving on a great sunny day… after picking up or luggage, we decided, rather than board public transport to the city, as there were 3 of us, we would catch one of the road taxi’s to PLE ROMA, and as part of the 110 Euro deal… board a water taxi, to take us directly, to the canal entrance of our hotel…
Bert, with Martin looking in… on our water taxi journey up the Grande Canal.
Arriving at our respective hotels… Martin and I were staying at the 4* Saturnia, whilst Bert was directly opposite us at the Flora… getting to my room, on the first floor, it was time to unpack, and more importantly, check out the bathroom (the Plumbing Lecturer in me) to see the size of the shower. Although it had a jacuzzi bath… I was more interested in the size of the shower… and to my delight it was a nice big one…
Great size shower
The guest lounge on the first floor… a great place to recoup after the days images
After we had unpacked, we arranged to meet outside our hotels, for the short walk, to where the mask models congregate in the afternoon, in a square where the afternoon light, enhances the photography experience, and produces some great images, with subtle neutral backgrounds…
The Square of San.Z. where the mask models gather of an afternoon
Bert & Martin, get ready for the models to arrive…
One of the mask models…
Another mask model
The walk back to our hotel, takes us across St. Mark’s Square… as this is one of the main day-tripper areas of the city, it is always packed of a day, and especially during Carnival… However, as you will see in other posts, certain times of the day, can be most revealing, and quiet… but more of this in my next post…
The crowds of St. Marks, to see the Carnival Festivities
After a couple of initial hours at the mask model sites, we ventured back to our hotel, to chill for a few hours, gather our images, and contact family… before meeting up once again to take the short walk to our first nights evening meal at a fantastic local restaurant, a short walk from our hotel, and mentioned in many of the Guides of Venice, as a must place to eat… however, we went here only once this visit, as there are many more must places…
The restaurant…
Martin & Bert, after a great meal and a few drinks…
As we strolled to our hotels, we touched on St. Marks Square, as our route took us over… this gave me the chance to view this years, glass specimens, at the superb furnace shops, peppered around the square…. those who know of my passions… know that Venetian Glass, IS one of my passions in life…lol
A wonderful clown glass sculpture at the MARCUS outlet