Going to work...

The morning commute for most of us means getting into our cars on our bikes or hopping onto trains or buses to get to our offices or other place of work. It is often frustrating as we jostle with others for space and at the end of the day we do it all again in reverse.

In Venice the commute is somewhat different. Of course many people cram onto the vaporetto (water buses) that travel along the main waterways but many others walk the narrow cobbled streets or take a small boat through the many canals which are the main thoroughfares.

Today's pictures show firstly one of the refuse collection vessels  which is moored up while the workers go door to door collecting the city's waste. The next two shots show a couple of bargees getting ready to go off to collect their load for the day. 

I like these images of the real Venice, away from the tourist sights and crowds. Of course at this time of day there were very few tourists about and it was a nice experience being about as the city woke up.

Halfway Up The Stairs Is A Stair Where I Sit

I have been exceptionally lucky this year in that I have been able to travel a great deal and that means I have had lots of great photo opportunities.

For today I have gone back to May and the streets of Prague. During my roadtrip I tried to do a little street photography and here are a couple of shots that I rather like.

The first one shows a young couple taking a few moments to rest in the shade on some steps near the castle. I think it is a lovely scene, a romantic moment and a moment of calm away from the bustle of the castle precincts.

The second shot shows one of the many trams that work their way through the city's narrow streets.

I recently finished reading a novel set in these streets and having been there and walked the streets of the old town the narrative seemed more alive to me. It really is a beautiful city.