Got up really, really early this morning to take Madison to the airport. We boarded the boat around 7:30, for what was supposed to be a near 90 minute boat ride to Marco Polo Airport. But because we were out so early, most of the stops were empty. So we just slowed down and cruised right by. In the end, we made it to the airport about 20 minutes ahead of schedule.
We used a different boat line to get there, and were surprised when we had to validate our boat tickets getting off as well. The others just want you to validate getting on. Or maybe that was just our trip. We’ve also found that the busier they get, the less they check tickets. But I’m told the fines are very steep if you try to cheat the system.
We did the check-in kiosk as soon as we get in, but then needed to find out where to check her bag. Which ended up being the same line as people who didn’t use the kiosk. What’s more, they (Air France), wouldn’t let her check her bag early. She was told to come back at 9:50, about 40 minutes later.
So, we popped into a nearby airport cafe for donuts. At 8:49, Madison was in line and got her suitcase checked and on its way. She still had plenty of time to get through security (which only took about five minutes) and get to her gate. It was time to say our goodbyes (the hardest part) and send her off to Paris. She and an old friend are spending two days together in Disneyland Paris before she flies back to LA on her own. Our little baby growing up.
On our boat ride back to the main island, Marsha and I got the idea to hop off at the island of Murano, which is famous for glass-making. We asked if we had to buy another ticket to leave, and the answer was yes. Marsha thought it should be hop on-hop off until you reach your destination. I told her that it’s more like the Subway: you can go one stop or 50, it doesn’t matter. Once you leave the station, your journey is over. Since we were there, we decided to do it.
We texted Michael to see if he could join us and then went exploring. We found an old church that we just loved. It looked like the one where Michael Corleone got married. It was built in the 1100s and restored in the 1500s. Couldn’t get enough of it.
Past the church, towards the tip of the island, were a few quaint little houses. An artist lived in one and had a strange glass box with images on each side mounted in the yard. Next door was an old lady who was raking the grass in her courtyard. After those was a collection of very old apartment buildings that had clearly seen their better day. Some residents had their laundry out to dry, which was something we could use.
The island is like a mini-Venice with one main (but much smaller) canal, and a couple of narrow canals that branch off. With just enough bridges to get back and forth.
We visited a glass-maker and watched as he expertly blew hot glass, then expertly pinched it with his tongs to make a horse in less than five minutes. It took me back to my childhood, where we used to marvel at the glassmakers in Jamestown, VA. Except they just made glasses, cups, and bowls. Marsha bought a couple of little pieces (and even got a discount by hesitating on the price): a goldfish in a plastic bag and a gondolier. These are sold much cheaper around the island, but we both agreed that our gondolier looks much better.
By that time Michael had joined us, so we had a great lunch at a little cafe, where I finally got shrimp again. About the time we’d finished, the skies turned dark and the wind started picking up. The waiters packed up everything that wasn’t nailed down. Clearly, it was time to get back to the main island before the bottom dropped out. The skies behind us were dark, but the skies ahead were still blue. The only problem was, Marsha and I didn’t have tickets to get back.
We checked several stops, but none of them had a ticket machine. So then we went in search of the main docks (where Michael had come in) to find a way off. By that point, the storm was catching up to us and everyone was scrambling like rats to get off the island. We suggested that Michael head on to the airport (he’s flying back to the UK tonight), but he wouldn’t hear of it.
When we finally managed to get tickets from a machine, it had started to rain and didn’t look like the best time to get on a boat. So we turned back and found a little pizzeria/gelateria to ride out the rain (if you’re going to get stuck, a gelateria is the place to be). We didn’t want to be stuck there for hours and hoped that it wouldn’t last too long.
Which was exactly what happened. The rain stopped, the sky cleared up, and it was all over in an instant. What’s more, when we went back to the dock, we found an express boat that took us straight back to St. Mark’s. Everything was working out even better than we’d planned!
Language Update: I’ve been ordering just about every meal in Italian now, and the repetition has been a big help. Certainly making me more confident. I’m learning from my mistakes, because when I realize I did something wrong, I’ve got another opportunity a few hours later. And the consequences (ordering the wrong gelato) are fairly minimal.
Once we’d finally made it safely back to the hotel, it was time to say goodbye to Michael. We hoped he wouldn’t have any problems getting home and wished him a safe journey (this is foreshadowing). We also got final confirmation that Madison had made it safely to Disneyland and was in the park enjoying the rides and much cooler temperatures.
Marsha and I went back to the room for a few minutes for a short break, and ended up taking a nap. We heard the storm roll in about the time we fell asleep (more foreshadowing).
When we woke up about 90 minutes later, it was really quiet outside. No sound of boats or crowds. We looked out the window and the sidewalks were mostly empty. Yep, it had most definitely rained.
It was when we went out for dinner that we realized just how bad. There were tree branches down and a giant banner on a nearby building had been torn almost completely off. We found out later that Michael’s flight had been delayed two hours. It was around 1:45 in the morning before he made it home. Which is not great, because he’s covering for me at work!
Marsha and I took the opportunity (and fantastic temperatures) to explore the other direction from our hotel. At first it looked pretty sparse until we found a wide street full of bars and people. We also found a few parks, including one with a crazy art installation. Plus more and more buildings and canals that look like something out of Disney World.
On our way back, we passed a couple of yachts parked not too far from our hotel. Including one owned by American multi-billionaire John W. Henry. Which was huge and very nice.
But that was nothing compared to the Norwegian cruise ship that we then saw being tugged out of the Canal. That thing was ginormous! Everyone on the walkway stopped to take pictures.
It was getting late, so we went back to St. Mark’s to grab a sandwich at one of the outdoor cafes. This time, we opted to try the one (Cafe Quadri) where they’d played the entire soundtrack to Grease. The sandwich was good, the tortilla chips from a bag not so much. But the best parts are the location (spectacular) and the music (fantastic).
There’s another cafe just down the plaza from this one, which also has a little band. We soon noticed that one band would play about three songs and then, when they were finished, the other band would do about three songs. The selections ranged from classical, to Broadway, to popular music. All instrumentals, of course. And when they began playing, people in the piazza would gather around to listen.
Let me tell you, our band really brought down the house when they did Bohemian Rhapsody! The whole song! The soprano sax did most of the Freddie Mercury parts, constantly going back and forth with the violin and the accordion. It was fantastic! We happened to glance back and noticed that the entire piazza full of people had stopped to watch and video them on their phones.
Perfect way to end our trip to Venice. We most definitely want to come back one day. I feel like we’ve only scratched the surface.
Ciao!
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