Continuing with our travel escapade, Venice was put out to plan that night. Good thing I brought my friend David's number who's been residing in Venice for years now. Different images were evoking as soon as I whispered to myself the word "Venezia". My eyes were glazed with tiredness, but my mind seemed to be happy about the excitement its creating hence, I kept the body restless to the annoyance of my sleeping wife beside me.
It was earlier than usual wake up time when I woke up to the whispers coming from the kitchen: the wife and our friend Manila had been quietly preparing our breakfast. After breakfast and all the preparations, the three of us were on our way to Centrale station.
I  was surprised to the seemingly weak system of their customer service there. It took them 40 minutes just to show us the right counter to buy global pass tickets. Everything considered throughout this leg, that was only a minor glitz.   Minutes later, we were on our way to main platform embarking onto TrenItalia's private cabin destination Venizia. Inside and while sitting comfortably, I gazed outside and did what any normal travellers would do. The series of mountain and villas nestled on top of them, the orchards that seem to never end, towns with attractive apartment buildings, etc. had hypnothised me for hours.  They reeled swiftly before my fixated eyes, so much like our train bulleting on its way across occasional tunnels, plains, and valleys.
I momentarily closed my eyes, and my thought allowed my senses to welcome similar and inviting Tuscan countryside scenes I watched from The Godfather film. So surreal and yet I was witnessing right there. I lost track of time and realised later on that we're getting close to Venice. On both sides of the rail underneath, I started noticing serene blue waters. "It  must be the Adriatic sea!" I muttered. Yes, I found out later on that we were passing a railbridge across that gulf heading to the city. Along the horizon, those minute buildings from a distance were becoming prominent.
The Grand Station, as any other major travellers' hub - was busy during that noonday. Shops are everywhere with each window displaying pieces of what Venice are known for, Murano glasses and festival facemasks.  The station is well located as it is adjacent to grand canal. We walked a bit towards the open area heading to the canal and I was awed to its welcoming appeal. The brightness of the mid-day sun on our arrival enhanced the city's undeniable beauty: the jade-coloured water, those water-buses docked close by, the arched bridge from a distance, a series of stunning centuries-old residences and buildings all lined up to the edge of the canal, etc. TO BE CONTINUED.