CK Goes to Italy – Venice (Venezia)

Venice has been my dream destination for vacation since ten years ago, for her waterways that wind through the buildings. Not only until year 2006 that I had the chance to visit this captivating city built on water. I stayed in Venice from 29^th of May to 3^rd of June of that year just to explore her charm.

Waterways are the main transportation routes, as there are no motorways. As for me, I depended on my feet most of the time.

The streets are all very narrow around here, making it quite a challenge to navigate through them.

The signboards are not quite functional, as the streets are narrow and hard to locate landmarks. I depended on my instinct most of the time to walk my way through this labyrinth.

It's always interesting to get a little lost somewhere, as I could see the things on the routes less travelled.

The first two days of my time in Venice were wet days, and I need to get to the city by bus everyday as I was staying at a hotel near the Stazione Venezia Mestre which is 6 km west of the city centre.

Crossing bridges is inevitable in Venice.

The Venetians have most part of their life on water.

Probably it's the vast body of water here that produces these colourful and juicy vegetables.

And the colourful soaps that give off those distinctive fragrances too.

Probably it is those colours that inspired the crystal and glass crafts in Murano.

I could see abundance of arches here for the private boats to maneuver through.

Some of them are closed for public viewing.

Some balconies are elaborately decorated with flowers just to distract the people from peeping into the windows.

I took vaporetto No. 1 from Piazzale Roma on one sunny day to explore the Canal Grande (Grand Canal).

It was really an appealing experience to see those fascinating buildings rolling by.

Again and again.

And it was like there is no end to Venice's beauty.

Seeing a gondola gliding smoothly over the water is not uncommon.

And with the whole role of them parking by the dock is not an unfamiliar scene too.

There are only three main bridges that crosses the Canal Grande. Missing any one of them, you would need to take the traghetto (a type of small boat) to cross the canal. This bridge is called Ponte degli Scalzi.

This prominent bridge with shops along the bridge is Ponte Rialto.

The last one is Ponte dell'Accademia.

I boarded the vaporetto again on another sunny day to explore Venice until Piazza San Marco (St. Mark's Square).

I could see Chiesa di Santa Maria della Salute and the Campanile (bell tower) on board the vaporetto.

After the vaporetto had made a turn, then the Campanile and Palazzo Ducale (Doge's Palace) were in sight.

Can you tell who's taller? Sometimes matter is just over the mind, so why do we have to reckon to mind over matter? I'm happier to follow the flow of matter over mind, whatever will be, will be.

Chiesa di Santa Maria della Salute as viewed from ashore.

And I took a closer and more detailed view of the main dome of Chiesa di Santa Maria della Salute.

Basilica di San Marco stands proudly in front of Piazza San Marco under the storm clouds.

Taking a self-portrait in front of Basilica di San Marco is somehow mandatory.

Basilica di San Marco is "framed" by the arch of a nearby building. I like this shot very much myself. I waited for almost an hour for the ever-flowing crowd to assemble, and to be dismissed, just to get this shot without anybody down below the arch blocking the basilica.

This is how it looks inside Basilica di San Marco.

Another "framed" shot, but this time is the Campanile (bell tower) of the basilica.

The Campanile looks stunning even without the frame.

I took a lift up the Campanile to have a look on Piazza San Marco.

Another prominent building on Piazza San Marco is Palazzo Ducale.

When I was tired, I could always occupy a seat along the long corridor of Palazzo Ducale.

Adjoining Palazzo Ducale to the prison is the Ponte dei Sospiri (Bridge of Sighs).

I was sighing on Ponte dei Sospiri myself, as I realised that I am also a prisoner of sort; of love, of wealth, of fame.

Another top on the list place to visit is the Chiesa di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari situated on Campo dei Frari.

This church houses the treasures by the eminent Venetian painter, Titian, e.g., the enchanting Assunta on the high altar.

I took a look at the La Scale del Bovolo of the Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo.

And I listened to some Italian songs by this artist on the street, before I left Venice with a satisfactory smile.

If you would like to read my other posts on Italy, these are the links:

• CK Goes to Italy – Rome (Roma)
• CK Goes to Italy – Vatican City (Citta del Vaticano)
• CK Goes to Italy – Florence (Firenze)
• CK Goes to Italy – Fiesole
• CK Goes to Italy – Pisa
• CK Goes to Italy – Siena
• CK Goes to Italy – Milan (Milano)
• CK Goes to Italy – Verona
• CK Goes to Italy – Genoa (Genova)
• CK Goes to Italy – Cremona
• CK Goes to Italy – Como (Lago di Como)
• CK Goes to Italy – Venice (Venezia)
• CK Goes to Italy – Naples (Napoli)
• CK Goes to Italy – Pompeii (Pompei)
• CK Goes to Italy – Sorrento
• CK Goes to Italy – Capri
• CK Goes to Italy – Amalfi Coast (Costiera Amalfitana)
• CK Goes to Italy – Amalfi
• The Return of CK from Italy