THIS IS AN EMOTIONAL POST

FEBRUARY 2020 I WAS IN MILAN FOR LINEA PELLE, THE ITALIAN LEATHER FAIR. I HAD SOME TIME TO MYSELF AND DECIDED TO TRAVEL TO VENICE FOR THE WEEKEND. I’M ALMOST ALWAYS IN ITALY FOR WORK, SO I HAD NEVER BEEN. THE CITY WAS BUSY, BUT NOT PACKED.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 23RD WAS THE FINAL DAY OF CARNIVALE. OF COURSE I WENT OUT TO SEE THE SIGHTS. I ARRIVED TO PIAZZA SAN MARCO EXPECTING TO TAKE IN THE COSTUMES AND FESTIVE ENVIRONMENT. I WAS QUITE PERPLEXED TO SEE ONLY A SMALL HANDFUL OF PEOPLE DRESSED FOR THE CELEBRATION, AND ALMOST NO ONE IN THE SQUARE.

MY ITALIAN IS QUITE RUDIMENTARY, SO IT WAS POINTLESS TO WATCH THE NEWS OR READ THE PAPER. I HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS HAPPENING ALL AROUND ME.

I RETURNED TO MY HOTEL THAT EVENING TO A FLOOD OF TEXTS AND CALLS FROM MY HUSBAND. VENICE HAD CANCELLED THE CARNIVAL, AND THE LOMBARDY REGION WAS ENTERING INTO LOCKDOWN.

I RETURNED TO MILAN ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24TH FOR A MEETING (WHICH NEVER HAPPENED). I LEFT A LIVELY CITY ON FRIDAY AND RETURNED TO AN EMPTY CITY ON MONDAY.

LUCKILY I WAS LEAVING ON TUESDAY. BY MARCH 8TH, NORTHERN ITALY WAS IN TOTAL LOCKDOWN.

THESE ARE THE LAST PICTURES I TOOK IN ITALY. THE FIRST IS FROM THE ISLAND OF BURANO THE MORNING OF SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 23RD. THE SECOND AND THIRD ARE FROM PIAZZA SAN MARCO LATER THAT EVENING… THE LAST PHOTO IS FROM THE PLANE ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25TH FLYING OVER THE ITALIAN ALPS ON MY WAY BACK TO NEW YORK.

I HAVE NO IDEA WHEN I WILL BE BACK…