It is always assumed that Venice is the ideal place for a honeymoon. This is a grave error.  To live in Venice, or even to visit it, means you fall in love with the city itself.  There is nothing left over in your heart for anyone else.

-Peggy Guggenheim

Peggy may have been exaggerating a smidge.

Why? Because I saw many canoodling, snuggling, smiling, giggling and generally happy couples walking hand-in-hand around Venice not long ago! In fact, I have a contrary theory to Ms. Guggenheim’s – I believe that Venice is more like a love potion, expanding one’s capacity to love and be in love while you are strolling its calles or traversing its canals!

The proof of my theory? It’s not scientific or data-driven, but is based on the collection of couples observations and my own experience. Most notably, my husband of a bazillion years, who usually walks 6 steps ahead of me on trips, joined the community of lovestruck couples by holding my hand and walking beside me every day for the entire week we were there! Oh, the magic of Venice! (Because once we got to Abruzzo, he was 6 steps ahead again!)

There was love graffiti and kissing selfies everywhere, and also the sighting of bunches of love locks in a most unusual spot, on the Ponte Nicolò Pasqualigo in the Cannaregio district – not really a tourist hot spot and Pasqualigo was an army general, not a romantic figure. Yet, the bridge was quickly being decorated with locks containing messages, dates, names and memories!

I know that many people find this love-locking a nuisance and a bit of kitsch, but I’m a big fan. I love the idea of leaving a tangible expression of your heart in a meaningful place. (There is a tree in Toronto with my husband and my initials carved in it from many decades ago – it’s still there!) So, it’s no wonder that I have captured this proof of Venice’s love powers in a miniature painting! This is the love-locked view on Ponte Nicolò Pasqualigo in a 2.5″ x 3.5″ ink and watercolour miniature:

I’m sure if I went back today, more evidence of my theory would be obvious – the couples would still be kissing, my husband would still hold my hand, and the bridge would be completely lock-covered! Sorry, Peggy!

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