Venice was all floating fabulousness!
It felt like I was just getting to know the city, when it was time for me to leave. “What will you do there for an entire week? And alone?” my friends exclaimed before I left. I could easily have stayed another two.
I walked mostly. Through endless narrow calles, over innumerable pontes and onto picturesque campos presided over by stunning churches filled with unbelievable art. The clanging of bells from their companiles marking the time of day.
And when my poor feet could take no more, I hopped onto a Vaporetto for the long ride back ‘home’.
Here is a shot clicked from one such ride back…
Ponte di Rialto from the Vaporetto
And a few of my gondola shots;
More soon. Have a great weekend.
The Urge To Wander 
I am thrilled for you. Alone and having a ball…on your terms and agenda. Beautiful shots.
Thank you Lynne. It was a liberating experience, even if I did miss hubby lots, especially at meal times! 🙂
I am glad you liked the experience,..And I understand you…I have been four times in Venice… Last one without my C….A pity because it was a work travel, a five star trip: we were staying at the Danieli, and dinig at the Excélsior in Lido, so imagine…But I can tell you that my Bellinis sometimes were very sad…I missed my sándwiches with him at midday, I missed our long conversations, our laughs, our walks till midnight.. I do not know if you know a very old song by Charles Aznavour “Que c´est triste Venise” http://youtu.be/M_NYURYBcCs
Beautiful song!! I felt the same, but it was better to be wandering those beautiful streets alone than float around in an empty house. R is not yet back and I am wondering why on earth I returned early!
You are absolutely right!!! Well…At least you have time now to order your thoughts and photos by yourself!
🙂 🙂
🙂
Que c’est triste venise! Hmmm. (I don’t normally comment on comments, but this one is from Ilargia!) Une très belle chanson! And very appropriate. (All my apologies for intruding!)
Vous êtes pardonné!!! 🙂 🙂
Merci. Thank you. (I just hope Madhu will forgive me too!)
Cheers!
Or tu est perdonné.. If you don´t mind!!! 🙂
Tu, vous, my compatriots make a mess between tú y Ud! No such problem in English! The advantage in Mexico is that it’s practically always Tú. Even with the President!
🙂
🙂 🙂
PD: And I am thinking just now about another problema, at least to me…The number of kisses!!! Three? Two? Four? 🙂 🙂
No problemo. En Mexico es uno. En Paris son dos. En la provincia francesa pueden ser tres hasta cuatro. (Creo que en Eshpaña tbn hay variación regional! Resultado, a veces te quedas con los labios en el aire! Los que quieras, amiga. Have a lovely day!
Brian
I’m glad you could tear yourself away from Venice for a day to meet us in Bologna. I love your photos of Venice. I hope mine turn out as well in June.
Wouldn’t have missed it Debra. And I loved every minute despite the rain. Thank YOU 🙂
Great moving.
Thank you Cee.
Ooh….now I’m so envious, Madhu. Venice is a place one needs lots of time to explore, and I didn’t have nearly enough. Great photos. 🙂
We didn’t either when we went on an escorted tour nearly three decades ago! A week is the bare minimum for cities such as this. Thanks Sylvia.
Dear Madhu,
You are very courageous! I have traveled alone to teach or perform, but haven’t ever chosen to travel alone for fun. I am so glad that you took the risk, are having a great time, and sharing it with us!
This is my first time Naomi, and I actually enjoyed it more than I thought I would! It certainly was a way better alternative to pining for my dear spouse at home 🙂
Oh how I would love to return to Venice. Such a magical city. Your wonderful photos brought back some wonderful memories!
Strangely I didn’t remember it as magical from my rushed multi-country hop three decades ago! I am a total convert now though and would love to return with hubby. Thank you for your kind comments Stacy.
Great pics Madhu, it must have been wonderful. I’m looking forward to seeing more please 🙂
Glad you like them Gilly. Shall get on my Mangalore post right away…….I know you will like that even more 🙂
It sounds like heaven Madhu. Being able to wander as the urge takes you. As much as I enjoy company, being alone affords you a certain flexibility you don’t have when travelling with others.
You are so right Jo. It was blissfully liberating to wander around without an itinerary and linger or rush around as I pleased 🙂
there is quality about the colour Madhu, I can’t quite explain it, but vey beautiful, limpid, almost translucent …. I am thrilled to see your photos after thinking of you all week!
Oh thank you dear Christine! The light wasn’t the greatest throughout, although I did have a couple of gorgeous, sunny days in between.
Great photos – we really get a sense that we are travelling through the canals with you! It certainly has brought back memories of our visit to Venice! Thank you!
Happy to have stirred fond memories. Thank YOU 🙂
I loved Venice! I only spent a couple days there. Wandering the tiny side streets and looking at the masks and glass- amazing.
I went with a friend, but, I think this would be the perfect place to travel alone. It’s safe and small enough you won’t get lost. It’s laid back and a wonderful place to decompress.
Gorgeous pictures!
It really is! It was possibly the safest place I have ever been to, apart from being one of the most beautiful. I cannot imagine exploring the streets of Chennai or any town in India alone at night like I did there! Sad truth.
I have not been to India or Chennai, but I can’t imagine traveling alone would feel very safe. There were parts of Spain I wouldn’t even feel comfortable traveling alone..haha
Venice, I have to agree is so gorgeous and so safe! Glad you made it there and glad you shared this experience.
Love that city, and your photos. Venice = magic.
Absolutely Bente! Hard not to fall in love with it 🙂
A place to share, Madhu, or just savour- and you did both 🙂 Rain, somebody mentioned? You should try Hartlepool!
Yes, that one day was bad, but I was in Bologna with Debra that day and the arcaded city was certainly a better place to be on a rainy day, than water logged Venice. Look forward to catching up with you Jo 🙂
Bologna looks lovely from what I’ve seen, too, Madhu, though never in person, unfortunately. I’m just back so am making a gentle start on catch up. 🙂
“Gentle start’ sounds good 🙂 I have such starting trouble when I return.
I love your photos of Venice, Madhu. Bet you’re having a great time! 🙂
Thank you Marina……I had the most amazing time 🙂
Glad to know that you’ve been having great times in La Serenissima, Madhu! It’s one of those places with so many mixed reviews, some loves it some others detest it. Can’t wait to read more stories of your solo exploration of the city!
My memories from our first visit several decades ago weren’t great either, but I am in love with the city after this trip Bama! Truly a place meant for slow savouring….I know you would love it too 🙂
Venice is one of my favorite places in the world. Makes me want to visit again soon.
I can imagine why Marie! I would return in a heartbeat myself 🙂
I’ve been yearning to see these …. 🙂
Meredith, I know how you love Venice, and your sensuous posts might have tipped the balance in her favour when I was choosing my destination! I was envying you your three weeks there 🙂
Venice has always seemed like a great city to just wander around in (or take a gondola through). I love that bridge, the Ponte di Rialto.
It certainly is one of the best to wander around in David, as long as you are away from the touristy center. The Rialto is awfully crowded most times too, but what a landmark!!
Oh how beautiful, brought me back to memories of my many visits in Venice. There is something about travelling by yourself, especially when you photograph, nobody has to wait for you until you are done with your shot.
I agree…more freedom and less guilt 🙂 Thank you Cornelia.
Oh, yes! These are all gorgeous! I knew you were heading off on your own but not sure I knew you were going to Venice. These looks just as I’ve imagined it would! I think I like the next to the bottom one best, the one on the left. But your shots are so clear, and must be capturing the light there—do you get tired of hearing they are exquisite???!? 😉
So glad you had such a good time, too!
That was a lucky shot for the area seemed to have a ‘traffic’ jam most days. Thank you dear Riba…..and no, I never get tired of kind compliments 🙂
Woww… Venice is beautiful.. loved the pictures..
Venice certainly is!! Thank you Divrj 🙂
Lovely photos, brings back some happy memories from my time in Venice!
Thank you Gabriella 🙂
Beautiful shots
Thank you Suzanne. Are you a blogger? You should link your website to your Gravatar if you are so we can ‘find’ you easily.
Can’t say more but awesome pics. Thanks for sharing.
‘dod’ Rangers
Thank you. Looking forward to our election results with anticipation! 🙂
Indeed, it would be more interesting to see how the new government works towards the issues that people face. Current non issue based barbs which political parties are throwing at each other doesn’t augur well for the nation.
Yes, we are waiting as well.
‘dod’ Rangers
I’ve not visited Venice but hope to one day. Happy for you and thank you for sharing these pics, Madhu.
All good wishes,
Eric
Might sound cliched to say “You will love it”, but you will 🙂 Thanks Eric. Hope to catch up with you soon.
Just wonderful, Madhu.
Thank you Tish. Very little effort involved on my part, really 🙂
As a family we spent the week of Easter in Venice, hearing Mass at St. Marks on Easter Sunday. I was eight and it was the first city I fell in love with. I have always wanted to return, alone. Your pictures are beautiful, evocative. Now I remember.
Valentine, mass at St. Marks on my first morning was one of the highlights of my visit!! I was amazed by how it affected me, despite the fact that I didn’t understand a word, or that I am not Christian or the least bit religious! Happy my images nudged your memory 🙂
Mass in Latin or even a language you don’t understand IMHO, is far more moving than having to listen to a Priest drone on. I am no longer a Christian, however continue to be a Catholic in Recovery. Still love the older parishes that say High Mass in Latin.
Madhu, you spent your time on your own – very well – and I suppose in Venice there is a lot of movements on the canals.
Venice has never been on my bucket list, but maybe I should re-think. Beautiful entry, as always. *smile
You should Viveka. I think you would love it. It isn’t a major food destination though, if that is a major criterion, but I did enjoy all my meals there. Thank you very much for your encouragement 🙂
Madhu, what has turned me of Venice is that it’s such a tourist trap and so terrible expensive too.
I know that Oscar and I would go mad … with everything to capture, but somehow there is something holding me back. I rather would love to visit Florence.
Always a pleasure to land in your world, Madhu.
Strangely, I felt the reverse to be true! I had meant to split ten days between Florence and Venice, but I was glad I spent all my time here in the end. The central areas are really bad – I fled before the hordes descended on May 1st – but the other neighbouhoods are wonderfully local and magical Viveka. You should go 🙂
Good shts, Madhu. I really like the composition of the last one.
Thank you for your generous comment Stefano.
si and the Vaporettos are so cheap to use! visit my Venice gallery: https://www.flickr.com/photos/frizztext/sets/72157602025134061/
I had a seven day pass and it was a breeze to use Frizz. I have visited you venice gallery many times and love it 🙂
It’s a shame with the light conditions in the first shot, but the gallery is fantastic. Definitely a place to visit!
(the first shot in the gallery I meant, not the main one).
Thank you Cardinal. The light was really flat most days. Have you been there? You would do a brilliant job of these 🙂
I’ve always wanted to get on a gondola in Venice, but only so I can stand up and sing ‘just one cornetto, give it to me…’ to random other gondola travellers. Love the blog and great photos.
Ha, I didn’t get on one this time! Was happy to watch all the other travelers singing for their cornettos 🙂 Thank you for your visit and comment Barry. Hope to see you around.
I’m happy to hear you loved your time with Venice. I am living there and I am in love with it too! Hope you can come and visit it again 😉
Oh my! I just popped over to your blog and am stunned by your images!! Wish I had ‘met’ you before I went 🙂 I certainly hope I can visit again someday.Thank you for stopping by Bruno.
Absolutely gorgeous – decadently gorgeous! Venice is one of my favourite cities on Earth. Having said that, sometimes I feel how different is it from a waterlogged North Kolkata?
Ha, the accents for one…..and the sexy boatmen? 😆
Now you have knocked me with a Bengali ‘jhyata’!!!
Oh no I wouldn’t dare!!!
I most like to get to know a new place by walking around. That way, I get to see things at my own pace. Liked your photos here.
I do too, always.Thank you very much Shimon.
Were those picture post cards of Venice………??!! Lovely! You seemed to have enjoyed it, in spite of the two Rs–the rain, and no R!
Thank you for the compliment Harini. Rain didn’t disrupt my trip in any way except for ruining the light in my photos. But having R with me would have certainly been nicer 🙂
Oh, Venice: I am so envious. The setting for so many stories, each small detail with a history that is ancient, because man has lived here so long. Your photographs do it justice. I look forward to hearing more!
It was amazing and I could have stayed there forever Kate! 🙂
What a feast you’ve given us this time. That place has such an interesting history.
Thank you Ian.
Wow! Beautiful Madhu! I The pictures are so amazing. Oh, I so wanna visit Venice 🙂
Thank you Shalvika. Venice is truly beautiful. Hope you get to visit soon.
So many beautiful shots Madhu but honestly, you had me captured with the simple knowledge that you were there in Venice, for one week and on your own! What color am I? Green with envy!
🙂 Thanks Patti. My first solo, and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it.
Venice, photogenic as always… Love it through your lens!
Thank you Thatiana. Love your slogan! 🙂
Love all your images! I’ve seen Venice so many times in the blogosphere. Your images, somehow, is still one of the bests I’ve seen. Well-composed, perfectly presented, and just so vibrant. Well done! I’d go back to Venice in a heartbeat.
Thank you for the kind words Rommel. I would return in a heart beat too.
Hi Madhu. Lovely “ballade” in Venice (in French a “ballade” is both a song, like the english Ballad”. Brits probably stole the word from us! It is also means a stroll, an aimless walk with no rush, and no definite destination. Se ballader!) We went to Venice with my wife and two teen daughters years ago. Lovely. This July, my wife and I will go (back) to Florence, and stop in Bologna on the way. Any tips on Bologna?
Take care 🙂
Brian
Dear Brian, I was in Bologna for just a day to meet a fellow blogger, so not quite the expert you should be asking 🙂 Wish you a wonderful return trip to Italy.
What an amazing place Venice is! Thanks for sharing these beautiful photographs Madhu.
You are most welcome Uday 🙂
Beautiful!!!
Thank you 🙂
Your pictures increase my urge to go some day to Venice again.
I couldn’t think of a better compliment! Thank you for stopping by to tell me 🙂
These are exquisit, Madhu, and Italy, alone is one place I’d love to visit, but Venice is a must. It’s on the bucket list and hopefully, I’ll be able to check it off in the near future! Thanks for sharing!
Wonderful! I hope you get to go there soon. Thank you Lauren 🙂
Venice is definitely on my bucket list. I envy your journey and gorgeous photos, Madhu. 😉
Thank you Judy. Sometimes the last minute, impromptu trips turn out to be the most memorable! 🙂
I adored Venice both times I was there – one of my most memorable moments was strolling across Piazza San Marco after dark as the cobblestones glimmered under those gorgeous cast iron lampposts. It was our last night in town and we were catching the last vaporetto back to our small hotel on the Lido. Thanks for sharing these lovely photos, Madhu… they remind me that I must return to La Serenissima someday. It’s been more than a decade since I last went!
You are most welcome James. Late nights, and early mornings are magical, not just in the Piazza, but in the rest of Venice as well. And I loved those last empty vaporetto rides back.
I could walk or SIT forever in Venice. Both are pure pleasure!
Me too Elisa 🙂
Walking around in Venice is like anxiously opening a gift. After receiving the surprise, then comes another gift. I like what travel guru Rick Steves says about Venice …. “Try to get lost because you can’t.”
Well said Frank! The getting lost was half the fun 🙂
Lovely clicks Madhu! Venice has been on my bucket list for the longest time. Looking forward to more of your photos photos for more travel inspiration 🙂
Thanks Kan. Loads more coming up when I have caught up with my comments and blog reading……..have a huge pile up as you can see 🙂
When I was in Venice I did not own a camera. It is so close to me and I keep postponing the second visit. Madhu, these photos are inviting me to jump on the next bus there. Fabulous captures!
Thank you Paula. We always end up taking the places close to us for granted 🙂
Sigh! Venice looks so romantic…Beautiful pics! 🙂
I have always wanted to visit Venice.. some day…
I have no doubt you will someday….. “To those that can dream, there is no such place as faraway”!! That’s my motto 🙂
Enjoying my revisit, love your photos. Showed them to my boy who learned about Venice in an audio about Vivaldi when he was 4.5 yrs old. Thanks again for adding to the discussion in the Race Around the World.
HW
You are most welcome Diana. It was a lively discussion and I was happy to post my two penny bit! Glad you enjoyed this. All the best 🙂
You’ve honored me with a follow. Quite appreciate it. Welcome to my amazing community of thinkers. I look fwd to visits as well. =)
Wonderful Venice photos Madhu – such beautiful colours. To make you feel better after Bologna, my trip to Venice coincided with the rains and the acqua alta so my pics aren’t nearly so vivid.