This mardi gras is much more staid and traditional than the craziness of New Orleans. The costumes are more elaborate and refined and there seems to be more emphasis on small groupings with a theme idea posing for tourists. These groups move around the city and stopping and striking poses and holding them for 15 or so minutes then moving on to another location. The only parade was on the canal. Beautiful but quite different.[S3_embed_video file=’Carnival of Venice_1.mov’]