Arrival in Venice on Thursday

Thursday and we are getting off the boat and heading into Venice. The exit off the boat went very smoothly and we were soon hooked up with the other 2 couples and on our way to our water taxi. The ride was quite exciting, (kind of like water bumper cars) but not as interesting as our entrance into our bed and breakfast. We were on the Grand Canal and then proceeded down some narrow canals until we reached the bed and breakfast. Our bags were shoved through the window from our water taxi into the Locanda Orseolo, our bed and breakfast. It is located on the Orseolo canal. We “climbed through the window” from the water taxi into a very nice reception area. The place is owned and run by a local family. Father, son and daughters work here. Since we are the oldest people here they naturally put us on the third floor. Actually the forth, but the European’s count ground floor, 1,2,3 etc. The building was built 1200 years ago, so no elevator.

We have a large room by any standards, huge by European standards. There are two windows overlooking the canal. We can open them and lean out to watch the gondolas sail past. Some have the singer and accordion playing and others just silently sail by. The gondoliers are all handsome with their black and white or red and white shirts, black slacks and a straw hat.


Everything in Venice is delivered by boat. They tie their small freight boat up to the area of the canal, where they want to unload. Then one man gets up on the sidewalk and the picks up the crates and thrown them up to him. We are talking about crates of 1 liter bottles of water, cases of beer and other merchandise. We did not see one go in the canal. They probably do not go home and go to the gym to work out.

We got settled and I took a nap, actually we both did. Around 2:00 PM we headed out to see what we could see. Judi stopped and got some money exchanged and then we walked into St. Mark’s Square. We walked around the square just trying to take it all in. The Square is enormous, and beautiful. The basilica of St. Marks is at one end of the square and is very impressive. The square was very crowded with lots of tour groups. Guides talking away and the tour groups trying to hear what they were saying and still look at everything. A note: now would be a good time to visit Japan as all their citizens are here. We left the square and headed for the Grand Canal. This is the canal we came up last night that was so breathtaking with the full moon.

As we are walking toward it, someone called” hey Don.” In the square not 5 feet from me was Dr. Chuck. For those not in my Rotary club, Chuck is a member of the club. They are headed for the Crown Princess and are doing Venice to Rome. Judi meets a man from Mankato, MN in the middle of the ocean and I meet Chuck in the middle of St. Marks Square. I think it must really be a small world after all.