Sorry Kat, still with a fever. I really want to be there with you! Enjoy it for me!

As María was still not coming, I had to go to the first festivities alone. Giulianna, as a real Venetian citizen, had given me all the advices about the best places to go. And so I had: I started with the descend of the angel, the starting event of the carnival, when a woman descends from St. Mark’s campanile with the help of wires and flies over St. Mark’s square, the main square in Venice. Then there was a first parade, on land, with wonderful music and amazing costumes. Costumes were of course what captured my attention the most. There were so many wonderful ideas, from renaissance dresses, medieval knights, even vampires or superheroes. I saw witches, clowns, duchesses, even two guys dressed as a gondola! I couldn’t stop myself and took a picture with them. María, you are going to be so envious. I had lunch in a small restaurant and ate authentic Italian pasta, and then stopped in the road to see some of the wonderful drawings that people were making on the floor. I even got myself enough time to visit basilica di san marco, St. Mark’s cathedral, the famous church in Venice.

My day had been amazing, and so I thought I had had enough for a day and that I just needed to rest.

Then how did I end up with Giulianna helping me choose a mask for the night?

“You can’t lose the first night in piazza di San Marco! People are so full of life and energy this first day of the carnevale, amore mio, you have to go!” She had insisted, and I couldn’t say no.

Giulianna was in her mid fifties. She had a friendly face, and a warm smile. She was also a widow, and her own children had left the isles in order to find better luck in other cities in Italy. I think my presence reminded her of the times going to the carnival with her daughters, so I obliged.

Sometimes I had troubles understanding Giulianna, as she kept mixing Italian with English. I had already deduced that piazza di San Marco meant St. Mark’s square, the most important square in Venice. But amore mio, that thing she was calling me? No idea.

“This one, amore mio. This one suits you!” She exclaimed happily.

In front of me there was a beautiful mask. It was covered in feathers of all tonalities of blue, simulating a bird. There was an opening for the mouth, so I wouldn’t have trouble eating or drinking at the party. I lost my breath over its beauty.

“I can’t accept it, it is too beautiful!” I said immediately. And probably very expensive, too. What if I accidentally broke it?

“Come on, amore mio, I can’t wear it again as I already have for the last carnival. And it will suit your blue dress beautifully. Don’t think I didn’t noticed you brought a night dress”. She winked at me. “Go ahead and use it! It looks better on you than on the trash, don’t you think?” She added happily.

So in the end, I accepted.

And here I was now. The least social person of my town, dressed with my best pair of pants and jacket – did I told you it was very cold that night? -, with this wonderful mask on. Giulianna had painted my lips golden, to simulate the bird’s beak, and fixed my hair. Even with my pants, I felt that I was looking like a queen.

And yet, I was alone in a corner, as I was still the same old me, too shy to meet new people.

How had I let myself be convinced of coming to a party, of all things?

“I should just go home”, I told myself. My heart felt heavy, for the more I wanted was to be part of this party. The dresses and masks were beautiful, it was full of events in every corner, and the live music was gorgeous. I wished with all my heart that María was there, so she could dance with me.

But she wasn’t.

So I turned around and left the piazza.