This beautiful fall photograph has few clues jumping out at you. But it is so beautiful that we just had to run it as today’s Mystery Photo. Try to figure out what and where this is, and send your ideas to elliott@brack.net, including your hometown.
In what we thought would be a difficult Mystery Photo, several readers were dead on target!
Scott LeCraw of Suwanee wrote: “I spotted that one right away. Piazza San Marco, as they call it, in Venice, or Saint Mark’s Square, as we Americanize it. My wife and I spent a few days in Venice some years back and found San Marco one of our favorite places. It’s home to a handful of cafes, which are wonderful places to sit and sip a little wine while watching the world walk by. I believe this photo was taken from Café Florian, which has been an operating café in this same spot since 50 years before our country was founded!”
The Grafs
Others recognizing it were John Titus of Peachtree Corners; Jim Savadelis of Duluth; Lou Camerio of Lilburn; and George Graf of Palmyra, Va. who wrote: “I recognized this photo in an instant of Caffè Florian, Piazza San Marco (St. Mark’s Square), Venice, Italy. My late wife, Diane, and I may have had coffee and a snack at this exact place. During Bosnia mission operations I spent a number of military tours of duty at Caserma Ederle in nearby Vicenza, Italy. We would grab a train to Venice during my downtime. Here’s a photo of Diane and me having lunch on the Grand Canal just below the famous Rialto Bridge.”
Allan Peel of San Antonio, Tex. contributed: “Here are some more unique aspects of this site. Well, consider that:
- While there are numerous small public squares throughout the city, Piazza San Marco is the only piazza in Venice.
- At 35-inches above sea level, it is the lowest point in Venice … so yes, it floods frequently!
- Napoleon was a fan. After conquering Venice in 1797, he allegedly described San Marco Square as “the world’s most beautiful drawing room.”
- Although the mystery photo shows a female drinking / eating at the cafe, you can get slapped with a 100-200 euros fine for consuming food or drink in the square itself (unless seated at a dining area specifically intended for food and drink consumption).
Randy Brunson, Duluth also wrote: “Not sure where the photo was taken, certainly not stateside. But the purpose is to say that it looks as if the scene is set for an Andre Rieu concert.”
Now a word of who took the photo. It is the work of Bill Durrence of Savannah, who for years roamed the world as a professional photographer for Nikon. He was a former city councilman in Savannah, and a former journalism student of Elliott Brack. That’s his wife, Betty, seen in the photo.
Doomed: The Town of Braselton’s estimated to be 300-year old pecan tree at Mulberry Park will be coming down. At one time it was designated as the largest pecan tree in the state. Town Manager Jennifer Scott says that “The tree’s health has been declining over the past decade, and it has died.” Earlier this year, an arborist determined that the tree is a safety hazard. It is expected the tree will come down the week of February 14. The town will plant a new pecan tree in its place in a ceremony to be held on Arbor Day, April 29.
Follow Us