Italy never ceases to amaze and capture me. Despite the hordes of tourists, tacky key chains and the contrived charm of perfectly outfitted gondola chauffeurs, Venice is one of the most fascinating and visually inspiring of its treasures.
I can’t help but relish the sheer impracticality of it—a sinking island whose decaying grandeur whispers stories of an illustrious era when a thriving metropolis was poised at the door between the Orient and Europe. While the rest of the Continent was culturally fumbling through the Middle Ages, Venice was painting the ceilings of its Doges’ Palace with 24 carat gold and peacefully functioning under the political rule of a merchant-class oligarchy. If the world lasts another thousand years, I think the name, Venice, will be mythical as the city, which one day, disappeared into the sea.
I love cracks, crevices and hidden passageways. I love when trees manage to find a way to grow out of walls and when cobblestones give way to ripples. 
As with a beautiful woman made more beautiful by the marks of time, Venice’s curious visual delights are of a different kind of beauty than the aesthetic perfection we’ve come to expect in others and in ourselves—it’s a beauty that is weathered and wise and above all, confidently mortal knowing that the soul and the stories will last forever.
Italy looks good on you, Miss Sarah.
hi, Venice is one of the places I wanted to visit but never got the chance. Maybe when my gals are a little bit bigger
and I can leave them to my Mom .
A week in Venice would really be a treat. Lucky you!