The 11:45 Frecciarossa to Venice 

   I’m not big on birthdays, especially my own. In fact I’d wish they all just go away. Being non-social I just don’t like being the center of attention. And that pasted smile I feel compelled to maintain throughout the singing of Happy Birthday hurts my face. But the way this March 10 was unfolding would blow the footies off even the most cynical anti-natalist. We were departing Milan for Venice aboard one of Italy’s premier high speed lines. I would be in a single row at the window, oriented in the direction of the train – il meglio del meglio of rail seating. Normally, I would offer such a throne to my loving princess, but as I’ve said, this is the most special day of every year for me, so nothing doing.

   My other fears as to the disappearance of bar carts and onboard club cars from post covid rail travel were soon allayed as well, as announcements of wines and an assortment of tasty comestibles at the snack bar wafted cheerfully about the train’s PA system throughout this one sweet ride. 

On our initial time out in the waiting space attached to land, Carol was surprised to see everyone suddenly rising from their seats. “Why is everyone standing?” She asked. “The boat is coming,” I explained. “I thought this was the boat,” she said of the waiting area.

   The last time I was in Venice, I was put off by the thick, endless streams of photo-popping tourists, and thought this town might be one and done for me. But the city flipped me this time around. We bought 7-day vaporetto passes, which covered all our transportation needs for the six days we’d be there, including the islands of Murano and Burano. Vaporettos (water buses) are a unique and fun way to see a city, especially one like Venice, where the only buses go off the lagoon to dry land. First time users of the service might need a period of adjustment. On our initial time out in the waiting space attached to land, Carol was surprised to see everyone suddenly rising from their seats. “Why is everyone standing?” She asked. “The boat is coming,” I explained. “I thought this was the boat,” she said of the waiting area.

   Carol found a sweet little apartment two vaporetto stops from the train station. A couple of cheerful bars were located a few minutes walk away. And so as well for a grocery store. We’d planned to have pizza out for my birthday, but a dinner of veal cutlet, pasta and eggplant lasagna in our apartment just sounded more cozy. Washed down with a couple bottles of Falanghina, and the call was a perfect one. 

  In the morning Carol was charmed to see a small vegetable kiosk open at our doorstep, where we’d obtain our fresh salad ingredients for the remainder of the week.

   After a rocky start with all that Barcelona mashugana, this Venice adventure for Carol and I had settled down and was hitting a beautiful pace and stride. Finding a good enough Falanghina for less than three dollars a bottle gave a Venetian tone to the phrase “Two Buck Chuck.”

   I was jolted back to everyday life, when the next morning Carol automatically slid into the window seat on the vaporetto. “Your birthday ended at midnight, buddy,” she said airiily.