Venice (2017)
In Spring 2017 I was given an opportunity to present in Milan. My flights were booked in and out of Milan, so I explored what nearby options existed to spend 2-3 days prior to the work session. I settled on Venice, as I hadn't been there before, and it was a little over 2 hours by high speed train from Milan to Venice. Venice was incredibly photogenic, and on top of that, my trip coincided with carnival, where elaborately costumed participants willingly posed for the camera. At the very bottom a couple pictures of my remaining afternoon in Milan and flight home.
Venice Grand Canal, seagulls completing the composition
The busy Grand Canal
A gondolier ferrying passengers on the Grand Canal.
Period costumed carnival participants taking a 'selfie' and riding a gondola.
Elaborate costumes near Piazza San Marco, the subjects would pose for my camera
Carvnival, Venice
Carnival, Venice
Carnival, Venice
Carnival, Venice
Gondolas on the Grand Canal
Evening on a side canal
When I arrived in the Venice train station, I crossed a nearby bridge and spotted my hotel, the white building at right.
My room at Hotel Canal Grande is a boutique property with about a dozen rooms that provided an excellent stay with views of the canal
With carnival comes crowds. At mid-day I would leave the more populous area and head North to the quieter neighborhoods, and as a local suggested, walk North past Rialto bridge, and then get lost, get yourself completely lost in the alleyways.
Grand Canal, sunset.
Gondolier at work on the Grand Canal. It was hard work in particular as they had to navigate and work around heavy traffic of boats and ferries.
Early morning in Piazza San Marco, the cafes prepare the street side tables and chairs
A gondola traffic jam
A local taking a Monday afternoon stroll
The Rialto Bridge, one of four along the Grand Canal of Venice, although I read the city itself has over 400 bridges spanning the smaller canals
After two days in Venice, it was time to take the high speed train back to Milan, about 2:30 hours total.
I had an afternoon to explore downtown Milan, adjoining the Duomo is an iconic shopping arcade
Largely, people were well dressed, supporting Milan's reputation as the fashion capital of the world
As a result of a flight cancelation, I was rebooked on British Airway's business class on the bubble of their 747, in the end, it was an excellent flight home
