My Travels: Venice Carnivals

Here you will see a number of images from the 2008 & 2009 carnivals. The programme notes say the carnival was first mentioned in 1094 and comes from the Latin words Carnis Laxatio, meaning 'the forsaking of the flesh'.
Moreover, it meant chaste behaviour on the part of the penitents before Lent. However, over time, the severity was considered excessive, hence the focus became more on a festival and entertainment, made famous by Giacomo Casanova in the 18th century.
I have arranged a selection of the images in colour order starting with the blues thro' to reds and finally blacks. I hope you like them. More images can be viewed at www.blurp.com, where i have published two photo books, Venice at Carnival time (2008) and Colours of the Carnival (2009).