On the Road Again~or better yet~Canal

Venezia…when I hear that word, that beautiful word, I have a Pavlovian type reaction, minus salivating over food when a bell rings, of course. 

Instead, I experience a kaleidoscope of emotion-all in vivid color.  My body flushes as the word Venezia resonates in my ears. It’s as though Venice is my lover, coming to whisk me away to love me deeply and forever. 

You can imagine how thrilled I was at the thought of returning to Venice.  I couldn't sleep for days and felt like a child the night before Christmas or in my case, Chanukah. The anticipation was killing me.  Unfortunately being a world-class insomniac prevents sleep, but combine that with something as wonderful as a trip to Italy: fuggedaboutit!  Moses may have parted the Red Sea with a little help from the Man-Up-Stairs, but not even that mighty duo could make me slumber. Not happening.  Plus, I couldn't imagine the logistics of getting from the airport to the magnificent Piazza San Marco, especially saddled down with 60 pounds of luggage and a heavy tote bag.  Talk about sink or swim!

As the plane descends, I am warmed by the thought of Venice and by the romance of the city. Something in me has awakened.  I’m reborn again just knowing that I will be back in Venice, replacing old memories with new ones on this current trip. Racing down to baggage claim, I buy a ticket for the water taxi and hurry to the water's edge to board the vaporetto.

Through sleep-starved eyes, the beauty of Venice surrounds the airport and with each step I take walking to the water taxi~like gulping a cup of Espresso and getting a jolt of caffeine in my system~I suddenly don’t feel sleep deprivation or jet lag.  I’m with my lover again.  In less than two hours, I approach the Grand Canal, ready to  be reunited with the city that brought me back to life so many years ago when I was on my honeymoon.  Alone.