Venice Carnival, a tornado of colors and emotions

From a trip to Venice in the first week of its popular Carnival

Dubbed “the most romantic city in the world” countless times, Venice is probably also one of the world’s preferred subjects for

comparison: this is how we have phenomena such as “the Venice of the East”, “Shanghai’s little Venice”, but truth is, no matter how many countries try to boast their own Venice, no-one has ever

gotten close to the original version. Why? Because Venice is only one, its charm is spontaneous, its origins written in history long time ago, its appeal very simple, a cluster of islands and land slices lapped by a languid yet obstreperous lagoon that seems to find amusement

in catching visitors unprepared.

The tornado of colors, emotions and energy that is Venice Carnival

During the Carnival, in Venice masks, too, have a soul

Flirting in the world's most romantic lagoon

Often synonymous with wild parties and endless fun, in Venice the Carnival goes way beyond that. Today this might be a simple

festival, but back in the day of the Doge rule when Venice was the Serenissima Republic, this type of celebration was their

interpretation of Roman propaganda ruse “Panem et Circenses”: puttng into practice the Latin motto of wild Dionysus rituals “Semel

in anno licet insanire” (Once a year one is allowed to go crazy), Venetian rulers introduced the carnival for the lower classes to have the chance to blend with the higher layers of the society, the noble

clans and aristocratic families, feeling closer to, and even making fun of them.

How was this possible? By hiding behind a mask.

Venice Carnival is also love story

Considered a sort of relief valve to keep social tensions under control, Venice Carnival, like pretty much all carnivals, originates from ancestral rituals performed at the end of the winter to welcome the warm season

and augur well for a generous harvest.The first written document mentioning the Venice Carnival dates back to

1094, when the city was under the rule of Doge Vitale Falier, and it was officially declared a public holiday in 1296, when the Republican Senate declared holiday the last day of Lent. Today the Carnival happens right

before Lent, a sort of permission to have fun before starting the month of repentance, and lasts much less than before, as in republican times could

endure for several months, making people rightfully whisper that in Venice the Carnival fever never stops. And it’s the same enthusiasm of Venetians’ toward debauchery that led the rulers to stop the excessive

reveling by passing new laws on limiting the use of the mask, somehow become symbol of freedom and licentiousness.

The eyes and a whole life behind the mask

Posing and acting

Pensive in the lagoon

Tears

The peacock

The peacock in the lagoon

Sisters

Purple

Looking for inspiration on the lagoon

The dreamy couple

The romantic warrior

The kiss

Taking down the mask

Red

Peeping at you

Two bodies, one heart

Like a statue

The blue joker

White in a sea of colors

Orange in the background of Venice magnificence

The mask and the gondolas

The white knight

The green and the lagoon

The couple and St. Mark's Campanile

One more couple at the feet of St. Mark's Campanile

Friends

I hope you enjoyed the ride around the colors of the Venice Carnival 2015. As usual, all feedback and comments are

most welcome!

www.chasingtheunexpected.com