This photo was taken immediately before we wandered down an alley so narrow and shady looking that I wondered whether I would regret ignoring the little voice in my head pleading with me to turn back. We were lost in a deserted part of Venice. How the four of us lost not only our tour group but seemingly also every other person in Venice, I’ll … Continue reading Postcard from Venice
Rome is full of cliches and surprises. I’d like to go again but not because I immediately fell in love with it. I didn’t get to know it well enough or explore all that I know it has to offer. With a city as famous as Rome you arrive with expectations and preconceptions but there are always a few surprises. The Expected Being blown away … Continue reading Rome: Expectations vs. Reality
“You’re going to get lost in Venice regardless, so stick your map in your back pocket, forget about it and just wander.” Our tour manager couldn’t have been more right. This was one of the narrowest alleyways we went down when we had lost ourselves in a seemingly deserted part of busy Venice. The atmosphere changed completely as we walked around these eerily silent alleyways. … Continue reading Brick Labyrinth
If you’re going to Venice, you’ll need to leave room in your suitcase and your wallet for a Venetian Carnivale mask (or twelve). You can buy them from street vendors but the most beautiful ones are in shops dotted around Venice. I have never seen so much beauty in one place. These small decorative porcelain masks were hanging on the door of a mask shop … Continue reading Venice: Home of the Masquerade
St Mark’s Basilica in Venice is one of my favourite buildings because it balances decadence and delicateness. It’s not as overbearing as some other iconic architecture. For example, I thought St Peter’s in Rome too overbearing and not particularly beautiful. Rome is a very masculine city and this is reflected in their architecture. Everything there seems to strives for glory rather than beauty. Venice is … Continue reading St Mark’s Meringues
Florence in the morning is magical. It sounds like an exaggeration but there is no other word for it. The incredible view from Piazzale Michelangiolo was like looking across a kingdom from a fairytale. This was taken in the middle of winter so despite the city looking like it is basking in warm sunlight, it was actually freezing. Even in the middle of winter it … Continue reading Best view over Florence: Piazzale Michelangelo