I am loath to admit it, but our September 19 departure from Toronto Pearson Airport was a “s**t show”, to use my husband’s rather accurate graphic description. After 30 minutes in a “lab-rat-maze’ queuing system for baggage drop-off, we were rewarded with an additional 45-minute wait in the ‘lab-rat-maze’ queuing system for security. How do you add insult to injury? Arrive at CIBC’s Terminal 1 Dragon Lounge to be met by another 30-minute wait due to over crowding. What? If I didn’t love to travel so much, our departure experience at Pearson would have rung the death knell for future journeys. God bless Air Canada who successfully boarded passengers on our filled-to-capacity flight, pulled away from the gate on time and arrived in Venice early. That and the quick efficient entry into Italy though Venice’s Marco Polo Airport restored my faith in air travel.
You can imagine that it was with trepidation that Jim and I stepped out of the shuttle van for our return flight from Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci Airport. From that moment to arrival in the boarding area was 35 minutes! Whoa! It should be noted that the Dragon Lounge here is spaciously large. I need to ask, though! How does one of Europe’s largest airports move passengers in such a friendly, efficient, stress free manner? Italy was one of the worst hit countries during the pandemic. How have they returned to acceptable service levels at two of their major airports when Toronto’s Pearson appears to be incapable of doing so?
HORDES OF TOURISTS?
Canadians, Brits, Aussies, Americans, plus, plus, plus…after two years of pandemic, the flood gates have been opened and we have been unleashed on the world!
Most certainly Venice was busy, but the choking crowds from cruise ships, sometimes up to an insane 7 ships per day, were delightfully and visibly absent. Gone were hordes so dense that movement was next to impossible until after 4:00pm when the lemmings returned to their ships. Gone were the selfie-sticks we angrily referred to as ‘decapitation devices’. Gone were impassable bridges. Gone were…..you get it! During the pandemic, Jim and I read with great relief that effective July 21, Italy had barred huge ships from entering Venice’s historic centre via the Giudecca Canal. Any shipping would be restricted to small passenger ferries and freight vessels. Good bye cruise ships! Long overdue, this restriction will prevent the destruction by these monoliths of Venice’s underpinnings and fragile lower level architecture. Thank god! The change during the day was palpable; visitors and citizens could actually move about freely and fully enjoy magical and mesmerizing La Serenissima. Go! Enjoy!
Compared to our past two visits, I found Rome to be crazy busy. That said, major attractions remain easily accessible, some, such as the Borghese Galleria require reservations. Sadly, some sites now have restrictive fencing around them to, believe it or not, prevent tourists chipping off bits of marble or travertine as souvenirs. I can barely write that without breaking into a rant. On past trips, Jim and I have enjoyed many an evening, wine glass in hand, seated at the Trevi Fountain watching the show of marriage proposals, romantic kisses and coin throwing. Because a few disgusting tourists felt the fountain offered great swimming and urinating potential, that seating is now blocked off.
Rant building! Just know that the Trevi is the rock star of any fountain you will ever see. Visit and throw in the magical coins that will grant your return. Yes, Rome is more crowded, but that adds to the excitement! The eternal city will forever remain a city of history around every corner, glorious art, great food eaten al fresco, magical neighbourhoods, majestic fountains, attractive piazzas and crazy, exciting busyness. Go! Enjoy!
….to be continued!
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