My Dear friend Jeanette took a job at a US Military Base 40 kilomiters from Venice. She was my inspiration to RETURN to VENICE!!!
She and I had been together in Venice in ???? 1989???? Not sure exactly which year?
Jennifer and I had been there for Carnival in 2000.
After that expereince I was happy to DIE?? The rest of life would just be the cherry on top. I had waltzed in a ball gown in a palace... It had been someone else husband but I waltzed!!
After making my 2013 Vision Board (see photos and stories in a previous post) I decided to JUST DO IT and go back to Venice (with Jeanette begin my GREAT EXCUSE) Unfortunetly Jeanette got sick and we only go to spend one afternoon together. We played in Venice, ate Frittle with Zambioni (My absolute FAVORITE tongue treat), I got my phone and wallet stollen and I got to show her my apartment.
But that is really not the beginning either.......
I meet Falco at the Amsterdam airport (the only photo was on my stollen phone), it was good to see him.. I did NOT punch him in the face as I expected to do... I cried on and off for the three hours we were together. Dumb guy.... he says he thinks about me every day, loves me more than his girlfriend and has never danced with anyone the way we danced AND yet... He does not want to be life partners anymore???? He is happy living alone in Hollland?? Closure for me??? It helped but it still feels like we should still be life partners?? As much as the guy drives me crazy I still love him BUT I will do my damdest to let us go and move on.
I dont have a photo of arriving in Venice but picture this.......
BLACK DARK night, rain pouring down, umbrellas flying through the air the storm was so fierce.....I got dropped off at the bus stop at Piazza San Roma.... I drag my two suitcases through the pouring rain to the ticket counter where I am sopose to meet the woman who will show me the way to my apartment?? I have no idea how she will find me? or I her? I did send a photo of myself?? I did have directions to the apartment if she did not show up?? I had NO hope that she would show up? I was drenching wet, soaked through standing waiting, reading my directions on how to find the apartment becaause I'm sure she has not come to find me. I have no idea where to start with the directions, they make no sense to me??I'm thinking to myself how I'm going to deal with this situation when a woman looks at me and mouths .... Cheryle???? YES YES YES... That is ME!!! She grabs one of my suitcases and dashes off into the rain. I am soooo glad I decided to spring for the extra 20 Euros for her to meet me and show me the way to the apartment becasue I would NEVER EVER had found it alone in the dark rainy windy night. We dragged the suitcase over stairs, bridges, stairs, down dark alley ways, (Calles they are called in Venice, their "streets" ha ha) She stopped from time to time and loooked around, questioning herself which way to go?? I had my doubts that she would ever find the apartment because I was told it was only minuites from the train station and we had been walking for at least 30 mins already?? BUT she found it... We got through the gate, up the stairs and into the apartment..... WHICH WAS NOT the one I had seen on the website??? instand disappointment??? the one on the website had a window overlooking an canal, it had cream colored curtains drapping down to the floor, it has a rod iron bed with a cream colored bedspread??? This was a fine apartment but it was NOT the one on the website????
Deal with it Cheryle......
I came to LOVE my apartment... It was in a great location. One night I had a tango lesson right around the cornor from my apartment. One night French Boroche music, one night Opera, Several nights Aperola Spritz at the local cafe/pub.
Playing dress up, enjoying light hearted JOY
The opera, French Borouqe piano, Palaces, museums.........
It had been 10 years sense the last snow stayed on the ground. I walked for HOURS photographing all the places I had been in the bright sunshine a few days before.
The out door markets and Bakeries were my favorite!
They welcomed me into the cold even after the bar was closed, they feed me when I was hugry, walked me to my Tango class, attemepted to translate what was happening in the news, they shared their coffee martini with me.... Two verry sweet young men whom I hope to show the same hospitality to someday.