Dreaming of Venice
For much of my working career as a photographer and writer, I’ve been privileged to travel extensively each year. Whether it be for clients, or for my own creative pursuits, I’ve travelled across Australia and the globe to cover a range of stories and photo assignments.
With the onset of COVID-19 in Australia and across the world, from early 2020, all that travel came to a grinding halt. As the impacts of the pandemic started to take effect and we saw the devastating death and injury toll, the cessation of all travel made perfect sense.
However, I became acutely aware how important travel and exploration is in my life, and how much I’ve missed it during this time.
Fortunately, I’ve been able to reminisce and draw inspiration from the last big trip I did with my family, which was in September/ October 2019. My family and I celebrated the 50-year anniversary of my parent’s wedding. Together we travelled on a cruise boat through the Mediterranean, visiting port cities of Venice, Montenegro, Mykonos, Santorini, Crete, and Bari in Italy’s south. We spent some days in Venice before and after the cruise, which is a city that captures my imagination and heart to this day.
The history, the architecture, the canals, and boats are a feast for the senses. With St Mark’s square and cathedral in ‘the centre’, Venice truly is such a fascinating and intriguing city. The light reflects off the water and historic building facades in a special way, and the food, of course, is a highlight. Following that trip, I’d always hoped to revisit Venice, soon. There is a romantic, nostalgic feel about this city, and there is so much to learn and explore. Perhaps once (and if) the pandemic subsides, or is under control, I’ll be able to return.