La Dolce Vita
I have spent most of today wandering over the narrow, winding canals of Venice and through the mice maze that is this mythical city. Venice is not just a place; it is a holy experience. It is a journey through all things beautiful and strange that somehow culminates in a euphoric symphony of the senses. Like a dirvish, one goes in circles until a state of transcendence and surrender is acheived. Being lost every five minutes is all part of the experience, while one is endlessly inundated with a cocophany of stimuli. Perfume, cigarettes, and salty air from the Adriatic sea converge with never ending narrow passages, wisteria-draped balconies, and crumbling brick buildings as one wanders lost through the labyrinth. Around every corner is yet another narrow passage, with tiny stone bridges that lead over the endlesss waterways. Closer to the heart of Saint Marcs Basilica are countless shops selling everything from cream-filled pastries, olive oil, gelato, and Venician masks to Fendi, Va...