Venice Is Where I Found My New Travel Partner

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My story goes back to 2011, when Linda and I were finishing up a “Grand Tour” through Europe. We had been on the road for five weeks straight and now were ready to tackle Venice.

Linda on the Water Taxi in Venice, Italy

The problem is that Linda is “vertically challenged.” At 5’ 3”, she’s short enough that the handle on her wheeled carry-on nearly reaches her waist. After dragging it through Ireland, Switzerland, Amsterdam and Paris, she lugged it up and down all the hotel steps in Rome and Florence. Today, it was the train to Venice, then the water taxi, and the bridges arching over all those canals.

Me? I just wanted to get to the hotel, dump the luggage and get out to explore the city. She was taking Far. Too. Long.

Venice, Italy

Venice’s bridges had no ramps back then, so Her Shortness had a struggle. In my rush to get us to our hotel, I searched for the fastest route: Just carry all my stuff over each bridge and then go back to help her.

Something finally snapped. I lost my patience and I told her, ”I will never travel with you again!”

Yes, I actually said it out loud. Suddenly, those beautiful brown eyes welled up and flowed down her cheeks as she began to apologize for causing me extra work. I just shoved my backpack at her, and without another word, carried both suitcases the rest of the way to the hotel MYSELF.

The Grand Canal, Venice, Italy

Then Venice happened.

Looking at it through the lens of my camera, I soon became captivated. Just as I had imagined, Venice was a magical town full of color, canals and romance.

Venice just did something to me. There was something about those canals, still waters reflecting ancient bridges and multi-hued buildings that gave me pause. I can’t quite explain it. This unique city and its people, living their own lives on different islands but connected by bridges everywhere, put everything in a new perspective.

Linda was the same of course, but something had changed in me. The alluring charm of Venice seduced me.

Venice, Italy
Venice, Italy
Venice, Italy

All the misery and challenges I had endured to get to Venice were worth it as Venice revealed itself to me. Yet, something was different; something changed as we wandered the streets.

I just can’t put a finger on it; maybe it was the all this water surrounding the Venetian people that brought a sense of shalom or peace into my soul. I began to tie them to their sinking city. They were struggling together to preserve what they love.

canal in Venice Italy. Boat in foreground.
Canal in Venice, with a tarp covered boat and bounginvillea spilling over a wall

Healing wounds

Markets have a habit of encouraging conversation for us, and my silent treatment was killing me. So, we headed off to window shop.

The first thing I noticed there was all the Venetian glass. It seemed as though every shop was loaded with it, in every shape, size and color of the rainbow.

Trying to deal with my attitude as we walked, Linda occasionally mentioned things that she’d read about Venetian glass. I learned that it was made here on Venice Island until 1291, when the government forced the glassmakers to move to Murano Island. They wanted to avoid the risk of a fire destroying Venice because of all its wooden buildings.

Colorful Venetian glass in Venice, Italy
Venetian glass, Venice, Italy
Mosaics done with Venetian glass, Venice, Italy
Mosaic pendants of Venetian glass

The second thing I noticed was the weird looking, yet extremely colorful masks everywhere. Why would they have such unusual masks? That question made a good opening for making up with Linda, as she is so knowledgeable about the places we visit.

The masks are worn during Carnival but traditionally they were used from December 26 until the start of the Catholic lent season.

Masks that are traditionally used during Venetian Carnival can be divided in to two groups: Commedia dell’ Arte masks and Carnival masks. The Commedia dell’ Arte was a type of improvisational theatre that was popular form 16th to 18th century but is played even today.

Maybe they are on to something here: Masks represent the various roles that actors play during a performance.

Colorful Venetian Carnival masks
Venetian mask in Venice, Italy

Venice is where I found my new travel partner

So Venice had won. The masks of Venice became an analogy to me: We each wear different masks in our lives, depending on what role we are playing, and we see things a little differently depending on which mask we choose to wear.

I have masks for my roles as a husband, father, grandfather, son and friend. Now I have a new mask to wear: that of a travel partner.

My new mask has helped me to see that everyone travels differently and has different challenges. The struggles we face when traveling as a couple are no different than any other problem in life. The difference is that without all the daily distractions, traveling seems to magnify those struggles more vividly.

St. Marks Square, Venice, Italy
The Grand Canal, Venice, Italy
The Bridge of Sighs, Venice, Italy

Love is in the … gondola

Somewhere over a canal or on a lonely stretch of narrow cobblestone street, hidden deep within the city of Venice, I came to my senses. I didn’t lose my wife in Venice, I gained a travel partner.

I gained a new understanding: Just as those Venetian masks, we play different roles as a couple as we walk through life hand-in-hand.

Romantic Venice, Italy
The Romance of Venice is legendary
The Romance of Venice is legendary

Maybe it was the unusual features in Venice, from those scrollwork lamps to the spiked buildings. It could have been the whimsical signs in various shapes that mark a business by an icon rather than words, or maybe the cafes along the canal, or perhaps the romance of the Grand Canal at twilight.

I don’t know, but something drew us even closer.

Interesting lamppost in Venice, Italy
Interesting lamppost in Venice, Italy
Interesting Venetian architecture in St. Marks square
Venetian Architecture
Ship building company in Venice, Italy

I finally figured out just exactly what we needed: a gondola ride through the love-infused city of Venice. Seeing Venice from a gondola changes everything: It is not about the sights, but the experience.

Venice is not a city you go to see, snap a few pictures and call it a day. Venice brings much more to the table.

Gondola in Venice, Italy
Rialto Bridge in Venice, Italy
Gondolier's at rest in Venice, Italy
Our Gondola awaits us in Venice
Aboard the Gondola in Venice
A Gondola ride allows you to experience Venice not just see it
Aboard the Gondola in Venice A Gondola ride allows you to experience Venice, not just see it

The lesson of Venice

Venice took me to school and taught me a very important lesson: Life is a series of different roles, and we wear masks as we play them. Travel forces you to wear all those masks, so be prepared to pack each one of them.

When the trip began, I had packed the mask of a husband and the mask of a best friend. But Venice made me realize that I also needed a travel partner’s mask as well. And that is totally different from any other.

Playing my role as travel partner

Thankfully, Venice had a travel partner mask readily available and I graciously accepted the offering.

Carnival mask in Venice, Italy
Boy with Frog by Charles Ray

Now more fully equipped as I look through the mask of a travel partner myself, I can grab life by the leg and jump for joy with my new-found travel partner.

Jumping for joy in Venice - The things people do for a selfie
Accepting change as a little child - Cooling in the Adriatic, Venice

Thank you, Venice, for bringing out the best in those who are willing to receive what you have to offer.

The Bible says “all things work for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose” and this scripture was proven true here in Venice. What started out as a disastrous attempt to see Venice turned into a romantic experience of Venice.

My new travel partner mask. Venice, I thank you.

ALSO READ:
Get Lost in Venice, Italy (a Photo Essay)

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Written by Dan

Professional photographer specializing in street, food and travel shots.

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12 thoughts on “Venice Is Where I Found My New Travel Partner”

  1. Such a beautiful, beautiful post! This is worth at least two slow readings – the first to truly understand the lessons you were sharing, and the second to truly appreciate the beauty of Venice through your pictures.

    This piece really hit the mark for me. While I haven’t been with my boyfriend for as long as you guys have been together (heck, not even a FRACTION!) nor have I traveled as much with him, I always felt that we weren’t travel-compatible. He moved too fast, was all about seeing things in rapid succession; while I moved a lot slower and loved to take my time taking pictures and soaking up the atmosphere. Needless to say, we have had lots of fights on the road.

    But this gives me hope that we can evolve together as a traveling couple. It may take years and a lot more destinations, but hopefully we find our own Venice where we can learn to adapt to each other, too. 🙂 Thanks for this wonderful post! 🙂

    • Thank you for the wonderful comments Liz. Travel brings a different level of understanding within a relationship and when we can see how we are different we can accept it and work within the parameters. I too like to go rather fast and then take a bunch of pictures. So many times I will move on ahead, but always within sight of each other, while Linda strolls and absorbs the culture. What I realized is that she does the writing while I do the photography and we both can enjoy a location equally and still be together. I no longer go as fast as she does and have started enjoying the culture, while Linda moves a little faster and points out things she would like to write about so I can capture it.

      I truly hope that you find the best three people you need to share and enjoy life, your husband and life long companion, your best friend, and your travel partner, all of them in the same person as I have done.

  2. What a great story, and a great reminder that sometimes we need to practice a little extra patience with each other. Fantastic photos, too! I love all the colors in the glass works, captured so vividly. Nicely done!

  3. Loved the way you wrote this story. I love Venice and the photos you have taken have done it absolute justice. There’s no place quite the same as Venice. #theweeklypostcard (shared on SU)

  4. Dan, that is such a lovely story. Venice is truly beautiful and the ideal place to restore romance. Funny how travel does magnify the stresses and turn little issues into bigger problems. Imagine, taking longer to get to the hotel being an issue, instead of just taking in the scenery and enjoying the pace. This was a lovely story, well done.

    • Hi Lyn,

      Thank you for the wonderful comments. You captured the root problem with wanting to get started and Linda not being able to pull her suitcase at the pace I wanted. Adjustments into travel style makes all the difference. We now have very little issues while on the road and we look back to Venice for exposing this issue and allowing us to work through it.

  5. How sweet! I can so relate to this post.’Vertically challenged’? Ha,ha,ha! I haven’t heard this one before. My husband and I always have little ‘arguments’ when we travel, but the beauty of a place can make you forget it all in a second. Venice is one of those magic places that will stimulate all your senses and capture your heart. I haven’t heard of anybody who returned from Venice disappointed. Great post, Dan, and great pictures! I feel like going back to this marvelous city again.

    • Anda,

      Thank you! The beauty of Venice allowed me to think through the situation and I always ask “how did I contribute to the situation and how could I have reacted differently.”Most people want to place blame on the other, while ignoring their contributions. This is why Linda and I have an extremely strong relationship.

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