October in Venice

 A   P E R S O N A L   G L I M P S E

 

 
Photography by C. Whitney-Ward

 

I had been dreaming of going to Venice for years. And, this October, I did just that. For two glorious weeks I feasted on the magnificence of this incomparable place, wandering, ogling, delighting, and of course, snapping a thousand and one

photographs - trying to capture the romance and wonderment that is Venice.

 

I planned this trip months and months in advance, reading so many books and articles and travel guides that I felt that Venice and I were already old friends. But for one brief moment as we began our descent into Marco Polo Airport,  I wondered if this vividly-imagined place would live up to its exalted reputation.   It did.

 

 

This was the first photograph that I took of Venice. And when the image appeared in the viewfinder it seemed to reveal the haunting essence  of this

 beautiful, beautiful place.

 

 

The Grand Canal - Venice's main 'street' paved with water - sweeps past gently-hued buildings that seem too impossibly lovely to be real.  And if the army of windows  that punctuate each facade could talk, they would tell a tale of pageantry, intrigue and romance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I rented a charming apartment for my stay in Venice; it was close to the Rialto Bridge

 and looked out onto a small, bustling plaza and lovely buildings across the way.

 

 

 

 

 

 Each morning I'd throw open the shutters and survey my neighborhood kingdom and its parade of characters -  children  on their way to school; tourists  with  backpacks and noisy rolling suitcases; and impeccably-dressed Venetians  dashing to work.

 

Each day was an adventure bursting with visual treats. Aside from a few must sees, my days were unplanned and spontaneous. I'd head off in a different direction each morning, stopping to take a photo when something caught my eye. I captured vistas,  gondolas, shop windows, architectural details, the every-present pigeons, people, gorgeous food, and  colorful clotheslines pinned with all manner of just-washed  necessities.

 

Take a visual romp with me...

 

 

Gondolas are sleek and beautiful and plentiful. They were first mentioned in an eleventh century document, and according to a law passed in the sixteenth century that has never been recinded, they must be BLACK. But the opulent interiors are varied and vibrant.

 

 

 

 

Waiting for a fare.

 

 

 

 

 

 

October is still  high season in Venice and there are hoards of tourists everywhere. But, if you get off the beaten paths you can enjoy a few solitary adventures. There is so much to photograph. Venetian doors are resplendent with handsome door knockers and letter slots, and at every turn and twist of a narrow walkway, a visual treasure is revealed.

 



 

 

 



 



 



And then there are the pigeons. They turned up everywhere in my photographs...

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

VENICE - GLIMPSES

 

PART TWO

 

COMING SOON...