Alone with my thoughts and the beauty of Venice

Words fail to encapsulate the profound sense of awe and gratitude that Venice evokes within me. As I welcome this city’s embrace, a profound sense of peace washes over me. The rainfall against the timeworn red rooftops and building facades becomes a soothing melodic sound. In this timeless sanctuary, my heart finds solace, resonating with the city’s rich history, untold tales of conflict and enduring beauty.

Humbled by our local friends’ kind hospitality, yet uplifted by the magic that surrounds me, I feel Venice’s enchantment touch my heart and soul.

Amidst the harsh realities that tarnish our world, traveling is a gift and a privilege that allows Mike and I to stumble upon the breathtaking beauty of a place, and yet it also reminds us of life’s striking juxtapositions that deeply stir my soul.

This particular piece, what’s above and below this paragraph, I wrote exactly two years ago, but I never published it. I don’t know why. I discovered it today and have decided to share it as a little slice of life of not just the beautiful things inherently built into our gastronomadic life, but also, the ugly things that do happen. In fact, our recent time in Venice (which started out rainy and ended up sunny) reminded me of our stay there two years ago.

It’s all part of the journey. What follows, it’s the rest of the essay I wrote two years ago, just as I wrote it with a few edits:

So if you’ll excuse my language for a moment, shit happens, as it did to us at the airport in Barcelona before flying into Venice.

We all experience circumstances beyond our control and have to deal with the occasional curveball life throws our way, such as the theft of Mike’s backpack at the Barcelona Airport recently.

I had gone to return our car rental and left Mike at the airport terminal with our luggage waiting for our flight to Venice. Upon my return, Mike realized his backpack was gone with many thousands of dollars worth of equipment. Among the stolen items were our expensive mirrorless camera (essential for capturing the beautiful memories of our guests enjoying every moment during each Gastronomad Experience). Additionally, a brand new drone, Mike’s iPad, his premium $500 headphones, many other pricey gadgets and, of course, his $400 backpack along with all the stuff inside of it, were all stolen.

This was an amateur oversight on Mike’s part and we were both extremely frustrated by it. Over the 18 years we’ve been living a nomadic lifestyle, we’ve had numerous close calls and actual incidents of theft. Alarmingly, around 90 percent of these occurrences took place in Barcelona and 100 percent of them in Spain.

Adding to the irony, Mike is a leading voice in the realm of practical tips for personal security while traveling. His most recent missive was published in January.

Practical tip #6 (for coffee shops, but also applies to airports) is to protect from snatch-and-run theft by in part “sitting far from the door with your back to a wall, and keeping on the table only what you’re using.” In fact, Mike had thought he had done this, but didn’t notice that the “glass wall” he thought he was up against was in fact a glass door to the outside of the airport. The thieves drove up, saw the backpack, got out, opened the door and took it, then drove away.

As the reality of the situation sank in, I couldn’t hold back my tears. This wasn’t just about the material loss or the utter inconvenience of it all. It cut much deeper. Incidents like this chip away at my faith in humanity.

It’s profoundly disheartening to know there are people so callous they willingly choose lives devoted to preying on others. They steal not just possessions but peace of mind. They cause havoc, impacting lives and livelihoods with no regard for the financial devastation and emotional distress they cause to their victims.

Theft isn’t just about the physical items taken. It’s a violation that leaves invisible wounds: a sense of insecurity, anger and mistrust that will linger long after. When someone’s malicious actions break your trust in society, it’s a shattering experience. As the injustice weighs on you, it’s only natural to question how people can be so heartless and cruel to their fellow human beings.

Since The Prosecco Hills & Venice Gastronomad Experience is starting in a week, Mike flew back to the US to buy all brand new equipment to replace all the stolen items before the Experience began.

Working out the logistics to make this all happen while in Venice was a challenge for our already packed schedule, but we’re trying our best to dust ourselves off, take it in stride, and carry on, for the richness of experience lies in navigating these inevitable ups and downs with grace and resilience.

So as I write this, I find myself in solitude in Italy, without Mike for the first time in many years. It’s a weird and unusual feeling for me. I miss him, instilling in me a sense of complete forgiveness for the mistake and unrelenting love for him.

Venice provided the perfect backdrop for contemplating the inherent duality of our human experience. It provided the canvas for reflection and reconciliation of life’s joys and sorrows, the highs and lows that are inevitably intertwined as integral parts of our shared journey. In spite of it all, I’m left filled with gratitude for the silver lining life bestowed upon us in so many ways.

I was lucky to find a rainy Venice that seemed to weep along with me because Venice is a realm where the boundaries between joy and sadness blur. It is a place that awakens the senses and stirs the soul, leaving an indelible mark on all who are fortunate enough to experience its magic.

Venice’s enchanting embrace was a timely sanctuary and a place where the weight of the world melted away and I was left to revel in the sheer beauty that surrounded me. It is a place that reminds me of the enduring power of human creativity and resilience.

After the rain, Venice gave us the gift of a blue sky and puffy white clouds, providing a glorious sunset before moving on. In the golden hues of the setting sun, Venice transformed into a breathtaking canvas, where light and water danced in perfect harmony, igniting a profound sense of gratitude within me: gratitude for the opportunity to bear witness to such exquisite beauty, and for the privilege of being a fleeting part of its ageless enchantment.

With love and gratitude,

Amira