VENEZIA

In Latin, the word venetus has the meaning 'sea-blue' and in Indo-European, the root word wen means love, meaning wenetoi would mean beloved or lovable. If you have been to Venice, you would say that this is a romantic city of love and the combination of sea-blue water and blue sky makes your eyes wander in delight. The home of history, architecture, culture, arts, music, literature and romantic settings in films has made Venice a dream for myself and other travelers, and that is why even in May, the island is filled to the brim with tourists trying to capture a moment of magic and treasure it for life's memory. This trip was additionally special for me, as I got to see it through the eyes of my friend, who was born and raised in Venice. He showed me where he and his family lived, where he went to school, the streets he walked, the cafes and shops he visited, the markets he picked up his mom's errands from, the steps he would sit on and the places he played. Not only was this trip a dream come true, it gave me a glimpse into the life and secrets of Venice life.

The Bridge of Sighs: Ponte dei Sospiri is a bridge which passes over the Rio di Palazzo and connects the New Prison (Prigioni Nuove) to the interrogation rooms in the Doge's Palace. It was designed by Antonio Contino (whose uncle Antonio da Ponte had designed the Rialto Bridge) and was built in 1600. The view from the Bridge of Sighs was the last view of Venice that convicts saw before their imprisonment. The bridge name, given by Lord Byron as a translation from the Italian "Ponte dei sospiri" in the 19th century, comes from the suggestion that prisoners would sigh at their final view of beautiful Venice through the window before being taken down to their cells. In reality, the days of inquisitions and summary executions were over by the time the bridge was built and the cells under the palace roof were occupied mostly by small-time criminals. In addition, little could be seen from inside the Bridge due to the stone grills covering the windows. A local legend says that lovers will be granted eternal love and bliss if they kiss on a gondola at sunset under the Bridge of Sighs as the bells of St Mark's Campanile toll.

Isola di San Michele

Along with neighbouring San Cristoforo della Pace, the island was a popular place for local travellers and fishermen to land. Mauro Codussi's Chiesa di San Michele in Isola of 1469, the first Renaissance church in Venice, and a monastery lie on the island, which also served for a time as a prison.

The cemetery contains 7 war graves from World War I officers and seamen of the British merchant and Royal Navy. My friends family also has a special place here.

Photos property of MR