I wanted to have a postcard this week that is relevant to my cruising theme. However I’ve never cruised before remember! So I thought I’d put on the next best thing: my memories of Venice, where getting on board local ferries to traverse through its many islands was the closest to cruising I’ve ever done!

One can love Venice or hate Venice, many of those who hate it probably have never been there during the off peak season. Venice doesn’t have to be crowded and smelly; Venice doesn’t have to be expensive. It is a place where your interpretation can make or break your journey.

I visited Venice when I was travelling through Italy with a friend on a backpacker’s budget. It was off peak season so it was not only cold, but rainy as well. I had stayed out of Venice and caught the train in. This was taken within 10 mins of arriving, where I exited the station and found myself in awe of this view. Venice was magical, even so when I found the backstreets where alleys were so narrow the balconies from each side of the buildings almost touched each other, where a lone violinist practiced in the community hall, and echoed through the neighbourhood.

Venice showed me, that no matter how crowded a place may be, one can always find a corner of serenity.