If it is June, it must be Italy!

When I imagine that this time last week I was spending 30 hours transporting myself from across the pond it seems crazy. But true, nonetheless. And if you imagined the 30 hours to be a typo, well I wish it were, but if there is a drawback to living in a small little town in the mountains, it is airline travel to and from Tahoe/Reno. I arrived in Italy to some lovely weather and it was just 18 hours to get there (the flying time is similar, but the layovers in the different hubs across the USA are the bear). My mission for the day was to stay awake until the evening. After unpacking and getting settled into my room at the "spa" in Vicenza, I grabbed my book and headed out to the pool. It was too hot to sit there. So I decided to go for a run. Of course I got lost and by the time I found my way back to my hotel, it was a shower and then a quick "ciao" with Paola before going to a nice dinner in town with Alessandro from Campagnolo (as well as the Spanish, German and Dutch distributors).

The chatter at the table was a lovely mix of Spanglish, Italenglish, Germanenglish and the Dutch---well that would be perfect english! I out-did myself by staying awake past midnight and completely fell sound asleep by the time my head hit the pillow. I felt pretty normal (a funny word-choice for me, but normal for me) the next morning and the breakfast at the Vergilius Spa is fabulous. By then, many of the other countries had arrived and I had the morning free to rest before the presentation. So after the Buon Girono's Buenos Dias, Dag's, Bon Jour's, etc., I headed over to the pool and read my book with Pascal from The Netherlands.

I am normally not a sunbather, but I was reading The Dog in the Hat and time just flew by. Lunch served by the beautiful Italian woman by the pool and soon it was time for the Big presentation. Sometimes, I pinch myself. Like how did I get here? Somedays, my life sounds better than anything I could have invented. And for a girl who has invented so many cool stories, I can somehow not put into words my reality these days. It's a bit ironic.

After a lovely and another very late night, I crashed again (sleeping comes so naturally for me!) and the next day I was off to Treviso with Paola, after our business meetings at Campagnolo. We went to our favorite place in the walled city center later that evening. My Hotel this year was the best choice. A few meters from the railroad into Venice and right inside the city center. It was called the Hotel Continental. Each time I am in Europe, I realize how much you really get for your money in the USA. And the more I travel outside my country, no matter how much I appreciate and love the places I visit, I am further made aware of how very blessed I am to be an American. We can complain about the cost of Gas, hotels, etc., but our standards are very high. I love Western Europe. I really do. But I believe that the luxury life we are afforded in our country is amazing. And everything feels like a bargain the first few weeks I am back home. There is beautiful in the old charm, but also in the new world.

Paola met me early on Saturday and we rode the train into Venice. Venice reminds me a bit of a very very old NYC. With it's neighborhoods, artisians, shopping and food. Obviously very different as well. But it was a feeling of excitement that only NYC invokes in me. Seeing Venice with a local was a treat beyond belief. And while I can't remember everywhere I went, I remember no feelings of helplessness from being hopelessly lost. Everything from Leonardo DiVinci, Picasso, etc., can all be seen and felt there. I walked through all 5 of the burroughs and over all the bridges. Old and New.

By Sunday I was beat! My plane out of Venice was delayed by 3 hours. This was annoying as it was eating into my time with the Kalski's in Atlanta. I had a 13 hour layover, which was shortened by by a few hours. But Larry was there to meet me 4 minutes after I landed and a few minutes of Southern Hospitality goes a long way! At least I wasn't inconvenienced like the rest of my plane with making my connection.

And there is nothing I love better than landing in Reno to my smiling husband and my small hound. I think this is the best story yet, and one I can never put into words how blessed I feel in my life. My own little very simple fairy tale. Happy Sunday!