This section is a little different from the other photo sections on Mahugh.com. For most of the trips I take, I research my destination ahead of time in great detail. I buy stacks of books about the history of the region, talk to people who've been there recently, and by the time I arrive I'm no longer trying to learn facts and instead I just soak up the experience.

But I didn't have a chance to do that with Venice, because this destination was a surprise. My girlfriend Megan set up the trip, and I just packed my camera gear, passport, and some clothes. The only advance reading I did was on the flight there, so I showed up knowing very little about Venice. And I've not done any further reading since then because it's been a busy summer. (And, frankly, it's not as much fun to read about a place if you're not eagerly anticipating a trip there soon.)

So this section is just a bunch of photos and not much text. Having said that, Venice was a beautiful place, so I hope you'll find some of the photos interesting, even if I can't tell you a damn thing about them. Enjoy ...