Phillip Martin Art

The Europe Collection

Shades of Venice

Venice is everything you imagine it to be.  It’s colorful, majestic, grand, narrow, quaint and charming.  You can’t possibly spend enough time exploring it.  If you give yourself enough time, there are islands nearby that also scream for attention, including Murano known for blown glass.  Actually, all of Italy screams for your attention.  Yep, it’s expensive, but sometimes you just need to shut your eyes, pass your credit card over, grab a gelato with a couple of scoops and enjoy the moment.

Sometimes it is great to travel with friends and share the experience. Sometimes it is almost criminal. I’m leaning towards that second option with my experience in Venice. I traveled with friends to this magnificent city, and their schedule only permitted one day of wandering the canals, archways, markets, churches, narrow streets and St. Marks Piazza. There was so much I didn't see! Topping my list of missed treasures was Leonardo Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man at the Gallerie dell'Accademia.

Yes, of course, naturally, (I would have killed them if we didn’t!) we took a gondola ride through the main canals. Yep, the gondoliers really wore striped shirts and charming hats!  Magnificent - but way too short a tour.

Some cities leave me with a “been there, done that” taste in my mouth.  I don't believe you can ever have too much of Venice. I certainly didn’t come close.  I must go back.

Continue on to Europe Image 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 or back to the Portraits Home Page.