Reflections on February 2013: Carnival of Venice

Obviously much of February was in the context of the Carnival of Venice. We arrived on February 6 and spent a whole week in that beautiful city. I've been to Venice a couple of times and it almost feels like a second home to me.

We walked around town and saw other people in costumes, most of them were wearing masks.

We looked at the Venetians and saw how they communicated with each other.

In little alleys and above canals we saw how they dried their laundry. 

I just loved looking at the canals and the reflections they created.

Of course we all put our costumes on to parade around town. Carnival is about having posing, about looking and to be looked at. I could recommend it to anyone having a depression: you feel like a diva when you go about Venice in a good costume. In the picture above we are having a Prosecco at the Caffè Florian on Piazza San Marco.
More pictures of the Carnival in Venice can be found on my blog:

• Back from Venice
• Venice: Color
• Venetians and Visitors

But February was more than the Carnival of Venice. It was also about clear days 

and pink morning skies.

February was also about seeing the first blossoms after a cold winter. I still remember the happiness I felt when I saw this blooming bonsai in the botanical garden of our university. It felt like Spring was finally coming.