MY ITALIAN ADVENTURE SAGA 18:

VENEZIA

click to see: VENEZIA

I’d forgotten how grand the train arrival to Venezia is.  You cross the lagoon via a causeway built by Mussolini. (I suspect it was even grander before the causeway was built, when you approached entirely by boat from the mainland.) The train station and a parking garage are on the end of the main island. From then on, all travel is by boat or by walking! Arrival by boat to the Piazza San Marco, could only have been imagined in the mind of a screenwriter. It’s a startling presentation to the unequaled city called Venezia.

Venezia holds a unique place in world history and her siting is magnificent. Placed on a collection of 117 islets in the middle of a huge lagoon for protection during the 5^th Century, she became the most powerful city on earth during the early 1500s. Her grandeur is at once compelling and fading. It is truly a

  ---CHARMED CITY!

(While in Venezia, I began to write copiously in my journal, partly because of the success with my Hawaiian story, but mostly because of the inspiring times, location and companions. What follows is taken mostly from that journal.)

Since I arrived in Venezia before the group, I was sitting at their hotel, the Monaco & Grand Canal, outside on the terrace overlooking the water, awaiting their arrival via vaporetto (Venezia’s motorized water taxi). I was writing in my journal, and for the visual effect, sipping champagne. When they saw me, I raised my glass and they all cheered! By the time they were ready to go to eat at 9 p.m.!, and we had walked to La Fenice Ristorante; we were too tired, and it was too hot. We decided not to eat, but to walk to Piazza San Marco instead. I’d almost forgotten how exciting the Piazza San Marco is:  the cafes with orchestras, the sea entrance—lovely!—Saint Mark’s, the Campanile, the arcade, the people and even the pigeons—all go together.

The next morning found me back at the Piazza San Marco about eleven a.m., where I sat at the Cafe Florian (1720), a famous outdoor bar, with an orchestra playing under the arcade! I had an iced tea and polished my first short story—“Mom’s Three Wishes”. (Must have been the influence of Hemingway and F. Scott!—former residents.) 

On the train to Venezia, I began thinking about my trip to Hawaii with my Mom and Ed that I won in a contest. I thought I should get it down on paper as there were so many wondrous things about it. I began writing and within an hour I had a very full story that I would later develop into a leather-bound, illustrated book to give to my Mother for Christmas. (In re-reading it lately, I am amazed how closely the final version followed my original writing.) Stayed for four hours and also did a sketch. Iced tea was 6500 Lira, but the atmosphere alone was worth the price.

  ---A delightful, lazy day.

Next, VENEZIA continues