Under the Venician Sun

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The shuttle bus drove across the lagoon, Venice is waiting under a veil of golden afternoon light.

"I am really in Venice" I said to myself.

Just like this whole trip to Europe, coming to Venice was an unimaginable surprise. A city of far away dream, of untold stories hidden in forever turning canals, with streets you would lose yourself in. I came here to meet two friends I haven‘t seen for more than 6 years, the moment we saw each other I wondered if time has tricked me again. Was it really 2001 that we last met, in that coffee place in Montreal? Time just went by like the canal floating away, it never really took away anything, did it?

I walked with G and the cute little Tintin from their tiny but cozy home to Piazza San Marco, the lagoon was glowing under the sun. My heart felt so light I could fly away, maybe amount those thousands of pigeons. Or just dissolve into the rays of light.

I can not be happier at this moment, I can not feel more alive.

People may say this is not real life and I sound like a fool (as I too often do), but what can be more real when you are living in THE moment? Most people don‘t. We either live in the past or the future and our eyes are caught by all sorts of troubles and desires. With time these things turn into a mask and blind us from seeing what‘s within. But it‘s never too late to take the mask off. Why don‘t you take it off?

We kept walking. I came at the best time as the streets are not flooded with tourists and there‘s plenty of space to stop and wonder, to breath in the beaty of every corner you turn into, to admire the shadow of her past glory. I dont‘t know how G managed to get us home but walking through those narrow streets which you‘d never imagine you can find your way out was like a small adventure. Just the way I like it.

I took a nap after J got home from University and woke up in with the warm aroma of dinner prepared by G. But I didn‘t get up, I lied on the sofabed, in G's "office": a painter‘s studio. His bruthes and paints sit quietly, a white paper is layed on the working desk, paintings of his hanging on the wall. Sleeping in an artist‘s studio, this is the second most surreal experience, ranked after the night at the bookstore in Paris. Of course, the nights in Zurich were quite surreal as well and they meant to me even more.

After dinner J told me he‘s planning to go to Taipei in December, before he joins his family in HK for Christmas. Christmas is like a taboo to me now, as this will be my third Christmas down under and all alone. Then G and I took Tintin out for a walk again, Venice is covered by mist of fog, sinking into the night.

J was really great in helping me to plan my itinerary. Tomorrow will be a Venice day with boat trip to one of the small islands, Wednesday morning will be for Juliette‘s home (and her right breast) in Verona and Thursday morning I may go to Padova.

I came to Venice with no plans, only knew I was going to meet these two long lost friends, and now it looks like a very exciting journey is waiting ahead. Of course, how can it not be exciting? I AM in Venice!

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