Dear Andrea,
February is a cold, gray month here on the eastern seaboard and in much of the US and Europe, so the colors of Carnevale in Venice really stand out!
I just returned yesterday from a work trip to Europe that ended in Venice, which was already costumed and celebrating ahead of the start of Lent, next week. Costumes spanned styles from traditional to steampunk, super hero to full-glam drag. The color and music and levity of the crowd were captivating, a perfect antidote to the season’s chill.
That’s part of travel’s magic, its ability to shake us out of our routines and give us new enthusiasm and energy. The novelty of new places and experiences wakes our souls and excites our senses. I return to my routines here reinvigorated, if a little jetlagged.
At a time when some people choose fear, I choose travel! I hope you will too.
Cheers!