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2008 Venice

Sat 2008-08-30 {19864}
(!) Had a little sleep, then up at 01h30. W arr 02h15, taxi at 02h30. To Wolverton, where met 16-seat Transit minibus with luggage trailer, and 15 of the holiday crowd. The 16th, Stephan Kirk's friend, joined us at Gatwick. A5, J9, M25 W side route. 03h05->04h55. Onto easyJet to Venice at 06h50 nominal. Julia was re-packing her suitcase in the check-in queue and Jac was only just in time at the gate. Cast: Graham+Wayne (2), Steve Kirk (real first name Philip, Stephan is 2nd name) + friend (4), Germaine+Richard (6), Liz Letts + Chris (8), us (10), W (11), Katie Thomas (12), Jac Collins (13), Julia Metcalf (14), Julie (15), Lesley Gray (16). 8 of us got onto the 3E express bus to Piazzale Roma, the other 8 had to get the next one. Very hot standing in the bus station, so as all 4 of us for the odd apartment were there we went off and bought 48h rover tickets and took the waterbus around to S Stae. So crowded that we failed to get off and had to go one stop back. Then walk to the apartment and meet Paolo Rosada. Showed us what's there, all in Italian. There are 4 gates to go through, in sequence, each with its own key, and then the front door. We have 2 sets of keys which is useful. Out again to local small deli for a few provisions, then out again for a pizza lunch and a beer followed by a walk thro' the tourist-trap shops leading up to the Rialto. We are in C de Teatro. Very old buildings of course and very well fitted inside, with rambling levels. Two double bedrooms adjacent, 2 bathrooms adjacent to each other, one with bath, bog, bidet and handbasin, the other with shower, bog, bidet and handbasin. Have to leave the shower open to clear the steam she says. She came back for a bit more money. Wayne gave us 724E to hand over, but she wanted 750E. Then later on the waterbus again to Campo Stefano, met the whole group there (Wayne had to go out to fetch Steve Kirk's lot who had got lost) and a good meal together at a restaurant, who set a table for 16 for us. I paid by CC and got more cash, we're going to need a bit of cash. 48-hour waterbus tickets were 26E each, many restaurants don't take cards. Waterbus on the way back was very crowded even just before 23h, Theme of day - very hot. Almost pleasant, but still hot, outside after 22h.
Sun 2008-08-31 {19865}
We're all covered in bites. Up quite late and out about 11h. Walked to Rialto and across to Fondamenta Nuove where we met Lesley, Julie, Julia and Jac and, after only a little faffing, got onto the right boat for Burano, about 45 min ride, all still on our 48h passes. Drink in a cafe, then wander around. Julia plays the part in long white skirt, white shirt and hat, and matching shopping bag, talking to anyone. Some dithered and we split up, arranging to meet at the boat stop. We (Jac, W, Julie, us) stopped to eat sandwiches (bought earlier) on a bit of grass by the sea, then wandered a bit more. Wandering means just incredibly slowly looking at all the tat shops and buying one fridge magnet and one pendant. Met the others again, and 5 of us (except Lesley, Julie, Julia) had an ice-cream and a drink at a cafe; the other 3 had a meal at a restaurant. Took the 15h56 boat back and split up. We went straight back to the flat for a beer and a read, W and Katie got back a bit later, then the 4 of us to the same place as yest lunch and spent 40E each. I got rid of the 100E note Graham gave me yest (part of the money we handed over on arrival was a 500E note). One of the groups with flat near the Rialto spent 2h getting there yest as seriously lost, with suitcases. It's sometimes hard to relate the map to the ground, but the instructions to get to this flat were easy without map. This is only day 2 and already tensions are high.
Mon 2008-09-01 {19866}
Slept well, tho' W didn't, too hot, and too many mozzies. Yest we beat SA again, by DL method, so 4-0 up with one to play. More activity this morn, sounds of workmen from 8h, people about. Flat is adjacent to a canal and has a water door. Have still not achieved a GPS fix at the flat, even looking over the little garden, but Burano yest was 33T0298006/5040348 and beach today was 33T0294902/5032356. Out individually. We went to the Rialto first, buying antihistamine and mozzie-repellent (bites are a souvenir of Venice according to the assistant). Then 3-day passes (31E but she got it wrong and took only 52E for 2) and out to the Lido, the end of line #1. Walked to the other side of the spit to the free beach on the Adriatic. Sit for a while, then back a little for lunch at a restaurant (pizza for \theta, steak for \phi, and wine). While here some of our party walked by. Went back to the beach and joined Graham+Wayne, Steve+Colin, Liz+Chris, Germaine+Richard who were picnicing. Had a few soaks in a very warm sea. Had changed into costume in the restaurant bog, under the cut-offs, and came home with them still wet underneath; silly system. Saw several people, inc Steve Kirk, using 2 costumes, one for swimming and one for sunbathing. Some younger girls topless in the water. Back by the reverse route, meeting W and Katie on the waterbus. They'd been shopping and church spotting. Eat eve in flat, pasta by Katie, while they prepared for an early departure for Rome tomorrow. Still had to choose between sweating (windows closed) or getting bitten (windows open).
Tue 2008-09-02 {19867}
W and Katie off at 04h30 to go with the others to Rome. We can use the flat naked for the next 2 days. A little light rain at first, but then hot and sunny again. To St Mark's square on foot and round the Doge's palace and prisons. Lunch in the middle of St Bartholomew's square, then waterbus to the parks on the E end of the island, where there was a little breeze and it was cool in the shade. Back then to the flat for a rest. Steve Clark reports that Alf has resigned. To local shop for more wine, beer and food, then to Chinese. Eat in what was an open passageway between 2 buildings with one end shut off and a vine as a ceiling; there was an inside in the adjacent building but unused tonight. Busy, good, but small in quantity. My cognac served in a shot glass. Rubbish put out, it's a daily collection except Sunday. Bought an Italian to euro adapter. Italians have 2 3-pin plugs, euro pitch with central earth and bigger and wider with central earth. Most sockets take either, and therefore euro 2-pin as well. Some sockets wide only. Adapter goes into wide 3-pin and accepts euro or narrow 3-pin.
Wed 2008-09-03 {19868}
To the museum of modern art by S Stae, good. Included a Rodin "The Thinker", one of about 20 in the world. Then waterbus to S Marco for an ice-cream and try to find the supermarket we passed yesterday, which we did after trying various routes, at jn Salizzada San Lio and C.d Bande. Then lunch at the same place as yest in S Bartholomeo, and then back to the flat to put food into fridge. Later out again, walk to Accademica thro' several campos, a beer in a cafe there, and waterbus back via S Toma. Eat in, cold meat, cheese, olives and salad, then wait for the others to get back, and dress again. They enjoyed Rome, but it was very hot; so hot that they couldn't concentrate and didn't explore very thoroughly.
Thu 2008-09-04 {19869}
To Murano. Walk to Rialto, where we bought more 3-day bus tickets, this time for the correct 62E, then walk to St Mark's square where met the others, the whole party except Liz and Chris. Boat #5 to Murano and a drink at the first cafe we see from Faro stop. Learn that Stephan and Colin have fallen out. Glass museum, which was moderately boring, some very old glass from 1st C AD, but apart from that nothing exciting or well-displayed. Then we split up, but on an island this size we mostly went to the same restaurant: us (\phi \theta W Katie Jac) and (Wayne Graham Germaine Richard Stephan Colin); leaving Lesley, Julia and Julie to go somewhere together. Very hot in the sun, but the restaurant had a cool garden. Went into a glass works demo and saw a glass horse being made; we seem to have missed the proper factories. We came back by ourselves, the others were considering a gondola ride. Via supermarket for supplies for party tonight, then home for a rest. Eve to the Wayne+Graham flat for wine and nibbles, and a cake for Jac:=65 today. Julie absent worn out. At last some rain, distant thunder and lightning, then some heavy rain. On the way home, with 6 women well-wined, Lesley was showing some very dodgy women's jokes on her mobile, and drawing from W "remember I was a student once".
Fri 2008-09-05 {19870}
Just us, waterbus to Salute, photo church there, then walk across to the other side of the island and take waterbus #2 over to S Giorgio, where we looked into the church and had lunch at a cafe: pasta with "fish sauce" which was mostly baby octopusses and mussels. Then line #2 again all the way around the end, Tronchetto and P'le Roma, and back to Rialto. Some more shopping, a beer and an ice-cream, and back to the flat. Paolo visited, to offer to keep bags here as late flight, but we explained (in Italian, with great difficulty) that we had friends at one of the other flats. W and Katie back later. After some delay and misunderstandings we eventually ate together in the local square. Packed and cleaned up.
Sat 2008-09-06 {19871}
A long hot day. Sun is blazing again for the last day. Up and all ready to go by 10h, hand the keys back to Paolo. The failure of the lounge lights was that Katie turned them both off at their individual switches while the rest of us were assuming that the 2-way wall switches were still in control. Walk to the apartment near the Rialto (~Calle de Cinque) which is not let next week and we can use today, leave luggage there. Then a day to fill, me wanting a stress-free plan. Took waterbus to S Elena and spent some time reading in the shade in the park, but plagued again by biting insects, tho' tried several seats in different places. Lunch in the cafe there, pizzas again, this time I had blue cheese and walnuts. A little more time in various others bits of the park, then took the #2 waterbus again, going the other way round down the Grand Canal first, then round the end by Tronchetto, then via S Giorgio back to S Marco; Not very crowded and managed to get the outside seats at the back the whole way. Through the crowds again, an ice-cream and walk back to the Rialto. Had an expensive wine in one of the cafes right on the waterside by the Rialto, then to the apartment again. Several are already there. 8 of us started off relatively early at 17h30, got a waterbus straightaway, and surprisingly not too crowded so we were all able to get our luggage on together. To P Roma, and to the airport bus. We went to the direct express bus, the same one that we took out. Diferent company so the passes didn't work, but we were able to buy 3E tickets from the driver so no time lost. Then the bus started, the AC came on, and for the first time in a long time it felt comfortable. Got to the airport OK, to find the flight delayed from 21h15 to 22h40, because of the heavy rain in the UK, with bad flooding in some places. So a long wait, tho' we could check in close to the original time less 2h. All a bit knackered by now, with the heat and the activity. Flight was packed. After some fruitless searching and mobile numbers not responding we made contact with the minibus driver and were picked up. Same driver as on the way out, and odd he was too. Kept looking at his eyes in the rear-view mirror, which had broken off and was lying on the dashboard to be picked up and used like a hand mirror. At one point he fiddled a wipe out of a packet, took off his glasses and wiped his eyes. Sometimes bounced in his seat as if trying to wake himself up. Inexplicable changes in speed and occasional sudden lane wanderings. We all bought Wayne a bronze face mask, and thanks to him on the way back. Driver dropped me at A5(D)/H5 slip road, I ran back to pick up the Focus, and collected \theta and W at the drop-off by the Agora; W then drove home. By then it was about 02h00. Julia trying to find someone to take her curlers back for her as her case was too heavy. Stephan's case was 32kg, but as in a group with \phi, \theta, W, and ours were around 10kg each, he got away with it by summation for group. BBC forecasts for each day were either sunny 28degC, light showers 28degC, heavy showers 28degC or thundery showers 29degC; apart from one storm we only ever had a few sprinkles of wetness; the rest of the time it was clear blue sky and HOT. Good moment: bath in the morning, open window right alongside, clean water, cool air, and a view of the garden. Houses in Venice are numbered not by street but by district; our apartment was #2303 (I forget the district).

nib2009-09-04..2009-09-04

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