Back

Birds, bridges and walking | Day 76 of my 2023 Journal

Cecilie Conrad·Mar 17, 2023· 2 minutes

The feel of Venice is closely connected to walking. The experience of walking between houses, alongside canals, over bridges, over piazzas (and repeat) from narrow darkness to air and water, beauty upon beauty, over and over. Sometimes, there is a dead end. Sometimes, a surprising piazza.

Always there are the birds. Huge seagulls own the city of Venice, roaming over the heads of tourists, sitting on poles, sculptures, and rooftops. Stealing pizza slices right out of your hand.

Walking and walking just like everyone else. And a lot of everyone else. Walking and sailing is the only way to get around, so walking it is. Most of the time.

This is no different from all of the other big cities of Europe we have visited, the huge difference is here there are no cars.

Everyone is walking.

Up and down, in and out, right and wrong, light and darkness, open and closed. And with birds looking after us as the guardian angels from the sea, hanging in the sunlight on their wings.

This is what Venice is to me. Walking with angels.

Love and light

Cecilie-Underskrift-300x133

Cecilie Conrad


Thank you for reading

I would love to hear from you. Listen to your thoughts and reflections - or praise :) It is often emotional to share our lives like this, and we get very happy when we get feedback from you. So feel free to share a comment below 😋 

See more images on Facebook

Unschooling and Parent consulting, conversations, blogposts, and podcasts on family life and learning

Hi, I'm Cecilie Conrad. I'm a trained psychologist, mother of four, radical unschooler and full-time traveller. I have lived with unschooling for over a decade and help other families find their own path – whether it is about homeschooling, unschooling, or the bigger question of how you want to live as a family.

I offer guidance, conversations and talks. I call my work grandmothering – not coaching in the traditional sense, but presence, professional insight and concrete help navigating motherhood and finding your way home to your own values.

Am I the right person to help you? You can book a free discovery call, and we'll talk and figure it out.

Listen to my podcasts

I share my knowledge and curiosity about family life and learning in my two podcasts.

Read my latest blogposts

We are making peace with the facts of life here. This is not the Mexico we came to see; this is not a place where we will ever go back - yet somehow,…Read more
Sometimes, you just need to take a long walk to uncover life's simple joys. From birdwatching to appreciating local ingenuity, Join me on a journey o…Read more
Explore the depths of self-discovery and the pursuit of balance, inspired by tales from 'Pirates of the Caribbean' to 'Alice in Wonderland'. A person…Read more
I am in no state to write. I feel like I have nothing to say. Equally, I feel like nobody is listening anyway. Who am I even talking to? The rough v…Read more
Join us as we navigate life's challenges, finding solace in each other and in the rich cultural tapestry of Huichol art. A story of love, healing, an…Read more
We embrace the beauty of life's unstructured paths. We enjoy the simple moments, from marveling at street art to hunting for board games and art supp…Read more
I'm balancing family, work, and travel. It's a journey of finding joy in the most unexpected moments. On top, I'm trying to maintain my writing strea…Read more
I resisted the urge to take pictures and found magic in the everyday. A day's journey in local authenticity and unexpected enlightenment. Read more
Birds. Sugar. Jesus. Balance. The simple joys of life, like sharing a cup of coffee with loved ones. Discover how a mundane moment can hold profound …Read more