Rediscovering Venice

I fell in love with Venice 24 years ago on my first trip to Italy. There is a hint of mystery across every bridge, in each small canal, in the soft colors of the buildings, the sparkle of light on the water at night. Add in the graceful movement of gondolas and the sound of the waves as they slap against stone. It is easy to be seduced by Venice.

How is it possible then that 20 years have gone by since I last came to visit? I never planned to stay away so long.

Once I returned, lured by the chance to experience Carnevale here, I remembered just how enchanting Venice is. Today I want to share some of the beauty that is Venice. And for that, photos say it best.  -post by Joanne

The Boats of Venice, Italy

With its arching bridges, narrow passageways, pastel-colored buildings, and centuries-old churches, Venice never disappoints. I doubt I could tire of seeing the city’s unique beauty. But one my favorite sights around Venice is the boats that cut through the water of the lagoon that embraces the city on all sides.

The sleek black gondolas, of course, are the most iconic of the vessels. Their slim, flat-bottomed bodies were built to navigate the lagoon and they are perhaps the most recognizable feature of Venice – along with the gondoliers who propel the boats with their single oars while traditionally clad in black- and white-striped shirts, black pants and flat-topped, wide-brimmed straw hats.

Motorized water taxis with polished wood that gleams under the northern Italy sun while racing across the water are also fun to see. Then there are vaporettos, or water buses, that carry people through the canals from one “station” to another, as well as boats that carry packages and food and beverages across the city. 

A sailing boat

Water taxis

Boat watching is one of my favorite pastimes while in Venice. During a recent visit there for the beginning of Carnevale, sunny days and blue skies helped to let me capture some of my favorite boat sightings in these photos. – post by Judy   

A gondola sits idle while a vaporetto approaches on the left.

A passenger sits at the front of a vaporetto nearing Venice’s Rialto Bridge.

Carnevale in Venice

Lent, the quaresima in Italian, is the 40 days prior to Easter, a time of fasting, penance and prayer in the Catholic Church. But before Lent begins, Italy’s carnevale celebrations provide an escape from the long winter season and an excuse to indulge in food and festivities (and a bit of foolishness).

Carnevale takes on many forms and each city seems to have its own festive personality. In 2019, I experienced my first carnevale in the town of Viareggio, which hosts a raucous parade of satirical floats, poking fun at society and politicians but also making statements about current issues such as pollution and global warming. Viareggio was fun, but I also became fascinated by the photos I saw of the celebrations in Venice, which looked quite different and much more elegant, than those in Viareggio. The Venetian costumes and masks drew me in and so began my plan to attend the 2020 Carnevale celebrations in Venice.

In Venice, this year’s theme was Il Gioco, l’Amore, e la Follia (Game, Love, and Folly). The nearly month-long celebration began with a nighttime water parade as floats and performers made their way on the Cannaregio canal. Acrobats, dancers, and fire twirlers were all part of the show - some on boats and some suspended high over the water. It was a visually stunning display and unlike anything I’ve seen before.

The next morning brought another fun event, a flotilla of decorated boats, with costumed rowing crews. The fun began at the Punta della Dogana (at the lagoon end of Dorsoduro) and moved along the Grand Canal to Cannaregio.

The early morning flotilla left the rest of the day free to explore the city and spend some time in Piazza San Marco, the best place to see costumes and masks. After all, it was the costumes and masks I really came to see.

No dime-store Halloween costumes and masks these, but rather elegant, expensive, handcrafted, and themed ensembles. Imagine the time, energy, and craftsmanship to create these!

Many couples dressed in complementary period styles and were happy to pose for photos.

Women were often in elaborate dresses and wigs, looking mysterious in their masked disguises.

And the men -the men were gallant and dashing. 

Kids had fun participating too. And all of this was just the first weekend of the four-week event.

Venice is a place to love at any time of year, but it has a special energy and flair during carnevale. It’s not too early to plan a trip for next year’s event - or to begin planning a costume! -post by Joanne

Looking Up - Prague

Whenever I find myself out and about – whether on a mountain trail or a city street – I look up. The sky is my favorite backdrop to any view. When it’s vibrantly blue, it is an unparalleled canvas. When it’s stormy and grey, its drama frames other sights. I find myself especially looking up when I’m somewhere new.

Prague is known for its many spires.

Such was the case during a recent trip to Prague. On somewhat of a lark, I proposed to Joanne, my co-blogstress and frequent travel buddy, that we head to Prague for a few days en route to Venice for Carnivale (yes, I know that from Lucca, Prague is not the most direct route to Venice). Neither of us had been to Prague before so we booked cheap flights and headed north.

It was February. And it was cold. Prague, however, was beautiful. From its Jewish Quarter to its Old Town Square, its famous castle and Charles Bridge, the city did not disappoint. It offered diverse and delightful architecture; cobblestone streets; clean and neat pathways for exploring the city on both sides of the river; and a long and interesting history.

One of the oldest synagogues in Europe is in Prague.

I thought I’d share a few of my favorite “looking up” photos to either pique your interest (if you’ve never been) or help you recall your own memories of what is known as the City of a Hundred Spires.  –post by Judy  

Once Around the Sun: A Year of Living in Italy

It is hard to believe that I have lived in Italy for a whole year.  I moved to Lucca just before the start of 2019 and have now experienced all four seasons, and every month of the year, here. I’m still in the “pinching myself to see if this is real” stage and I am delighted to wake up every morning to find that it is indeed - I live in Italy!

Any big move, much less an international one, comes with challenges and surprises. Happily most of the challenges have been manageable and most of the surprises have been good ones.

Before arriving I wondered if I would love Italy as much in cold January or rainy November as I do in spring and fall (I do!). 

I also wondered how I’d manage the challenges of setting up a home here when I was less than fluent in Italian. Happily, my Italian is improving (thank you Lucca Italian School and some very patient Lucchese citizens) and I’m now able to manage most things on my own.

A view of the Torre Guinigi from my apartment - if only there weren’t so many steps.

I had some doubts about the 38 steep steps that led up to my beautiful apartment with  amazing views. Those doubts were well founded and at the end of the year I moved to a new apartment. Though it is smaller and has no terrace, it is on the ground floor, in a great location, and charmingly cozy.

Making the move on my own, I wondered if I would find myself lonely here. The answer to that is a definite no. Perhaps the biggest surprise of all was being welcomed into a vibrant community  where I’ve made dear friends and quickly established a busy, active, rich life.  

In celebration of the past year, I thought I’d share some of my favorite photos from 2019, the first year of a new life in Lucca, Italy.             -post by Joanne

A cold January morning

February began with clouds and cold

Crisp but beautiful, late February at Lake Massaciuccoli

Magnolias in bloom in March

My favorite photo from 2019 - a country lane in the village of Vorno, just a few minutes from Lucca, in April (above). The Cinque Terra, in June, with two of my grandchildren (below)

Hot July and August days call for an iced coffee in a shady piazza.

The Chianti region, in September

Early October - a perfect time to visit Lake Como

November in Lucca brings the huge Comics and Games event. This is just one of the many fabulous costumes.

Christmas in Lucca - magic!