Stop dreaming, Start flying

Paradise and Hell panels by Hieronymus Bosch on display in the Tribuna room at Palazzo Grimani on January 10, 2011 in Venice, Italy. The  exhibition will stay open until 20th March 2011

Hieronymus Bosch born Jeroen Anthoniszoon van Aken c. 1450 – August 9, 1516 was an Early Netherlandish painter. His work is known for its use of fantastic imagery to illustrate moral and religious concepts and narratives

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Ephiphany

Regata della Befana with Arzana'

La Befana vien di notte Con le scarpe tutte rotte Col cappello alla romana Viva, Viva La Befana!

Old wood

If gondolas are the most famous boat in Venice, they are not the only one. All kind of crafts go tirelessly all over town. A large part of them are made out of modern materials, but many old and classical wooden hulls are still in use.

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Driftwood

Everything is open Nothing is set in stone

.....

You're driftwood floating underwater Breaking into pieces, pieces, pieces Just driftwood, hollow and of no use Waterfalls will find you, bind you, grind you

.....

So I'm sorry that you've turned to driftwood But you've been drifting for a long, long time

The Video by Travis is here

Christmas in Venice

Father Christmas wearing boots to cope with seasonal high water walks along Riva degli Schiavoni in Venice.

The Christmas of most of the old Italian writers as well as  Dickens and even  Hollywood movies is all about family, friendship, compassion and goodwill for all , it is about the “Christmas Spirit”  that  stands for core religious values. On the other side The Christmas that you see every day is about demanding or try to sell expensive gifts, selfishness, eat as much as you can, getting drunk.

I hope you belong to the first category but whatever you choose a Merry Christmas to all my Catholic friends!

A usage of one of my images in Vanity Fair Italy

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A way of life

Acqua Alta or the high tide in Venice is a way of life and people live with it....but few things  still surprise me!

Here a grocer from St Erasmo sells his vegetables in Murano during the high tide.

Photo Galleries  1 and 2

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The Glass Alchemist

Elena a glass artist in Murano blows glass next to a glass furnace on December 18, 2010 in Venice, Italy. There are only few female glass artists is Italy and they face continuous challenges in a traditionally male dominated field.

There are not many people (and things!) that I admire and that I could watch for hours while they work, without losing concentration after few seconds. I have seen them all...and often better.  Elena is an exception, seeing her at work with glass is unreal....

Elena Rosso Website

The snow has landed

On the Venice Lagoon between the white snow, the dark green of the water and heavy sky

Some of the images have been used by MSNBC photoblog

Love Conquers All

While searching for traces of the Templars,  I  found today in Venice the following inscription at La Maddalena church "Amor Vincit Omnia"