And, suddenly, you are gazing at the eternal sublime. Venice’s borders are the dream realms. This is a city that starts on water and ends in the soul. Venice is a portal between reality and myth. A city that is real, but also impossible. My little cousin declared, at ten years old, that ‘this is the most beautiful city in the whole world.’ In no other country man-made and natural Beauty is so entrenched with the national psyche and identity. Beauty is elevated as the greatest national virtue, privilege and asset. Beauty is Italy’s doctrine and her true religion. We are, after all, Il Bel Paese.
Venezia, Italia, January 1, 2017.
‘There is still one of which you never speak.’
Marco Polo bowed his head.
‘Venice,’ the Khan said.
Marco smiled. ‘What else do you believe I have been talking to you about?’
The emperor did not turn a hair. ‘And yet I have never heard you mention that name.’
And Polo said: ‘Every time I describe a city I am saying something about Venice.’Italo Calvino, Invisible Cities
![Desk Crit [The Importance of Sketching II]](https://sketchbloom.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/perspective-web.jpg?resize=200%2C200)
sketchbloom.com 
Love this post both for the stunning shots and the read…
Happy 2017!
LikeLike
Grazie amica mia! Do let me know if you are in Milano these days, I would love to have coffee with you! These were quick shots on a quick visit, my other Venice posts ( at the bottom of this post) go more in depth … but I will take a quick jaunt to La Serenissima any day… my cousin surprised me!!
LikeLike
I’ll be back in Milan on January 9th…..
Hope it won’t be too late for a coffee……I’d love to meet you so much!
Let me know something about it, please…..
LikeLike
Awww i leave on the 7th!! Not meant to be this time my dear, but we shall meet one day. Until then, thank you for always coming to visit sketchbloom! Good things in store this year 😊 many hugs to you and love and joy this year!!!
LikeLike
Che peccato! Avevo cosi’voglia di conoscerti….
Spero tu possa tornare presto a Milano …..
Ti auguro un anno pieno di cose belle.
Arrivederci,
A.
LikeLike