A World Suspended on Water

Venice quite never seems real, but rather an ornate film set suspended on water. – Frida Giannini

It has always been a dream of mine to visit Venice. Maybe it just feels magical to me, maybe romantic, maybe surreal, maybe it’s this whole idea of being a world on its own… almost.

I have friends telling me, “Just be prepared for the smell when you are there” or that it’s not exactly what they expected. So I really didn’t know what to expect to see or feel upon arrival, all these mixed up with feelings of anticipation, after all I’ve been yearning to visit for the longest time ever.

Well.. I loved it! There was no nasty smell, the weather was perfect, and I had an amazing experience there. In many ways, it was all I expected from Venice.

And of course, I hopped onto a gondola. The gondola behind me had 2 musicians, one playing the accordion and the other singing. The music completed the magic for me.

Venice being crowded with tourists is probably an understatement. It was packed. Every single corner I turned to was filled with tourists. It is also packed with shops, thousands of shops, and I got lost. It’s hard to keep track with each and every turn you make, but then again, there’s not much to worry about because it’s pretty easy to make your way back (after some time).

I guess in many ways, everything happened beautifully for me. My friends couldn’t believe how different my experiences were. I’d like to think that sometimes a positive frame of mind makes the biggest difference, the universe then conspires with you to give you what you expect. Or just simply, I was there at the right time.

I’m just thrilled that this Italy trip turned out so wonderful. I am also so glad to have Venice checked off my bucket list. I’m even excited to start planning my next holiday! Breaks are essential, and this trip has been really good.