The Narrows in Venezia

Lately I have been watching a new show on Netflix. As I began watching the pilot episode I had little to no enthusiasm starting a new show, but I kept an open mind during this holiday season because all my shows are on hiatus. The show on Netflix, Marco Polo, grabbed my attention after the first episode and I've been binge watching since I have found it. Marco, most famous for his travels of Marco Polo, is often said to have been a merchant adventurer from Venice who traded on the silk road. The reason I talk of Marco Polo is because I have recently visited Venice.

Those first real steps without my luggage as we blindly walked through the alleys and canals made me feel as if I were someone like Marco Polo. I'm aware that many of people have been to Venice, but to me it was exotic. It was the first real exotic city I had ever been to in my life that had any historic importance outside of the United States. While I didn't discover or become the first to accomplish any feats while in Venice I still felt like I was Indiana Jones or Marco Polo. 

With near or over 7 billion people on Earth it is really hard to be the first person to discover anything new and exotic. It's hard to be the first person from any culture to visit with another culture for the first time in this age because we're so open and aware of one another that it seems that there is no more adventure anymore, but I say there is adventure still to be found. Just because you weren't the first person or even the first person you know to travel somewhere new doesn't mean it doesn't hold journey to your life experiences. 

I never had any ambition to ever visit Italy, or Venice for that matter. Now that I have I feel different because of my experience. I feel as if the world is still filled with new meaning for my adventurer's heart and for that I am grateful.

"The Narrows in Venezia"

This is one of many narrow passageways in Venezia. These maze-like passages take you all around the city much like the canals. Every so often a message is written on the wall ever so gently directing you back to a major landmark, and at times, they can be quite confusing. I know my wife and I definitely went down some dead ends trying to get back towards our stay from the Rialto Bridge. Nevertheless; these passageways had me feeling like Ezio from Assassin's Creed. And for that, I am thankful.

This image is probably the closest thing I have to a street photograph. During my stay in Italy I felt street photography to be more lucid to my lens. I didn't partake in any street photography, but I did have a lasting impression that the city of canals would make for great "street" cred.