Connection

I am currently reading "On Italy" written by Henry James.This travel narrative written in the late 1800s has given me another connectivity moment. These rare(for me anyway)moments are always fascinating . Really relating to an author makes the book seem to be written just for you . This one began as the author was visiting a picturesque old mountain top village. As he is describing it he observes a man that he writes as having the characteristics of an Opera singer . Mr. James automatically begins to romanticize this man to fit his vision of an "Italian landscape" but is really off base when he begins to talk to him.
My connection moment comes with an experience I had in Venice. On day as I was exploring (lets call it wandering aimlessly) I came to a canal bridge where I saw a crowd looking up the canal. I got to the bridge just in time to see a man in a strange boat approaching. As he got nearer I could see his boat was a wooden replica of a Volkswagen beetle convertible . He was also singing some Operatic number. He waved to the cheering crowd, as he passed beneath the bridge and sailed off into the grand Canal.
As Mr. James had done I was in a Romantic tizzy about the happenings in this wonderful magic place.
As it turns out I later learned it was all a PR stunt .
I still think Venice is a wonderful magic place though.