Canal Grande
Originally uploaded by Leora Gardner.

Even with all the tourists, no getting around the fact that it was beautiful.

Venice (Close to Slum)
Originally uploaded by Leora Gardner.

Venice is a beautiful city, but as is the case with most beautiful cities, it has been found. And it has, in a way, been conquered.

The streets are lined with shops that cater to tourists, the gondola rides are lovely but missing some of the passion I pictured when dreaming up my first experience in the city (a gondolier talking on a cell phone while leading you through the canals seemed weird), and the supposed romance of the waterways dims when there are hundreds of scene-searchers snapping photos right next to you.

I went on a tour and stood in the room where Casanova was imprisoned. I won’t lie. Learning about his escape was intriguing. I guess I just wished I was accidentally walking past the prison the moment he escaped decades ago, and was the recipient of a sly wink or thumbs up. I don’t think I would have tipped the guards off.

My idealism, however, made me determined to find the best parts of the city. The picture I’ve posted is one of my favorites. You might think it is “too busy,” or “poorly lit,” or a pale comparison to shots of the Grand Canal that you may expect. Where’s the sunset?

No sunset, friends, but a taste of the real city. I took this on a back street, where the real people live, and where they hang their clothes out to dry.

Catching Birds
Originally uploaded by Leora Gardner.

There’s a place in Venice where the birds fly right up to you. You don’t have to beckon them, or speak kindly to them. You don’t even have to be still. They’re not afraid of anything, especially not where they’ll land. I wish I was a little more like this.