Venice

When you visit a place like Venice and have to choose just one picture to represent your time there, it's almost impossible.  In the end, I chose a snap I'd taken, of one of those iconic images - the view of the gondolas bobbing on the lagoon, looking out across the water to the islands (although, never let it be said that my photography is iconic!!)


Richard and I visited there at the beginning of July to celebrate his 50th birthday (the trip being postponed from early June).  We had a wonderful few days, which included much walking (!) and enough art, churches, architecture, history and general awe to ensure that our brains were befuddled by the end of each day with the sheer saturation of culture!  (This is why it was necessary to end each day with a glass of rose at a pleasant bar somewhere - in the case of our third day, a couple of Bellinis at Harry's Bar - purely medicinal, you understand).

I'm sure we will visit there again - I feel we only scratched the surface in terms of what can be seen and experienced: it was quite overwhelming.

Quote of the weekend (courtesy of Richard, I may be paraphrasing slightly) - "I've decided I don't like art".  Can I just say that after we had discussed this statement further, we came to the conclusion that it was only a certain type of modern art he isn't partial too.  He's not a complete Philistine (as was proven by his interest in a painting for sale in a small modern gallery - a mere €45,000.  Perhaps next time).