Venice

From The Aeroport To Mestre, Venice

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IMG_4927Arriving in Venice, we were greeted by our tour manager, Ambra; beautiful italian name, it means Amber in English. We claimed our luggage and hop on the bus to Mestre, a suburb of Venice region and met Lucas, our bus driver. An interesting gentleman to say the least. Sorry, I don’t seem to find a picture of his. He reminds me of a younger french actor, Gerard Depardieu.

IMG_8066Silly me. I though we were going to have different tour guides and drivers for each of the cities we visited, which we did have local guides but were attached to the hips to Ambra and Lucas for the entire the trip. They were the main guides and no complains here. Well, at least from me. There is however, one or two people who were not happy. Oh well, you cannot satisfy everyone. And moving right along we did, discovering Italy we were on our way.

IMG_4929The weather was beautiful with bright sunshine and clear blue skies. It was hard to believe that we were actually in Italy after looking forward to this trip for more then a year. We had many pancakes scrambled eggs, sausage, orange juice breakfasts, count eight, garage sales and an Italian night dinner fundraiser to help us achieve our dream, but like troops, they came rushing supporting us all the way.

IMG_4933_1IMG_4932We finally arrived at Antony Hotel in Mestre, a suburb of Venice.

IMG_4934_1esterno-exterior

 

On The Road To Venice

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IMG_4925Like a clock, right after going through customs, we were greeted by a representative of Peter’s Way Tours Inc, the agency that made all the arrangements, “Buongiorno, Benvenuti”. Yeehh, rejoice we are in Italy! “Grazie”, we replied all at ounce. Trust me, we had took classes, bought tapes so we could master that perfect italian; oops, yeah right, I mean the perfect Italian not to get lost and stay lost!

The gentleman checked all our names against his list, if the passports checked and handed us over our name tags. Surreal, I have been to a few countries in my lifetime but never in a pilgrimage and it did not feel “like a tourist” until I was had that badge on my neck. To say that we were intoxicated, ecstatic, euphoric to be there is understatement.

IMG_3185Hooray, we have arrived.

It was exciting, I mean, you say Italy and you hear fashion, well aside its history, exhilarating to walk through the terminal and experience Italian fashion from the get go.

The agency representative directed us to a waiting bus right outside of the terminal that took us to a different side of the airport and few minutes later, we were boarding another plane to Venice.

The Wedding March, Second Take!

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IMG_5386I was visiting Venezia in October and it was fascinating to see a bridal party just strolling around Piazza San Marco. Perhaps, searching for the perfect place to take their once in a lifetime “now forever hold your peace, so help me God” pictures or on their way to a honeymoon suite, on one of, if not The romantic city in the world. Then, it got me thinking…

It was set in motion by a few words I left on a joint bachelor/bachelorette party guest book. As I was inscribing the words, I reminisced about my own wedding, unconventional to some but ordinary to a few, to the “a deux” individuals who opt to elope into You May Kiss The Bride Vegas quickie style wedding thus beginning the poem.

IMG_5387For your reason and yours alone, you decide on a quick and spontaneous celebration of your union, to the more elaborated and orchestrated event of balloon, flower, flower girl, ring bearer, designer dress/tuxedo, quick steps dance menu, ten bridesmaids… ooff, I am exhausted just thinking about it, to later move on to “what was I thinking?” category when a sad and lonely “imaginary” picture of the two of you appear in the corner of the local newspaper.

Whatever suits you!

You enjoy the romantic moment, precious or not, you learn to guard it as yours but are never exhausted to recount it to those who wholehearted chase the account. Meaning, the tattlers.

It is the moment you designed. Everyone sitting around the bonfire, sipping Long Island Iced Teas and the two of you telling a story. Cool huh?! Not but in the imaginary world of make believe, it actually happened.

IMG_5388The story however, becomes fascinating to the prying ears, particularly when there are no witnesses to the event other then you and your mate, and the officiating individuals.

What was it like? Did you cry? Did you throw the bouquet? What was your dress like, your tuxedo? Who officiated it? Did you have a maid of honor, best man? How did you celebrate?

Nope! Zilch! Nada… None of the above and I have a picture to prove it or do I?!

These are choices, mine and yours imaginary ideas to what could be or have been a perfect and choreographic wedding, where the groom and bride would walk or have walked down the isle to a ticketed parade of rice throwing and cheer spectators and oh yeah!…to an exhausting bank account at the end of shindig: the bill and full stomachs.

Unconventional or not, it is your decision. Whatever makes your fancy. Whatever your heart’s content or desire. It is your wedding day. Your wedding march. Make it perfect. One to remember. I am still telling my story!