[INSIGHT TRAVEL - EUROPEAN GRANDEUR] - Assisi to Venice/Venezia

DAY 21 - SEPTEMBER 20, 2000
ASSISI - VENICE, ITALY
VENICE - HOTEL CONTINENTAL
ROOM 156

I was the weather girl for this stretch of road. Relived my glory days at RK96 by using the news format for my report. Included was a CNN news clip about the problems re Nike's Olympic TV ad - a spoof on a recent film showing a female athlete being pursued by a chainsaw-wielding maniac. NBC, official Olympic TV network, pulled out the ad for excessive violence.

Dmitri complimented me on my singing while loading our bags onto the bus. I told him I was fortunate in being blessed with the voice that I have. And that at least when I sing, it doesn't really rain.

Received compliments for the weather forecast on stopping for morning coffee break. The clouds remained steady for the most part of the trip, making it cool running right up to Mestre. Then I had to give an update to include gondola conditions and traffic. The sun appeared just as we crossed the Mestre/Venice causeway -- a good omen, perhaps? Arranged with LisaH to have our hand luggage portered to the hotel - an extra 2000 lira per bag, but still better than manhandling them across bridges and over cobbles.

The hotel is excellently sited. Got a small room, but adequate enough, since we'll hardly be in it anyway. At least my bed isn't squashed up against Mom and Dad's like it was at the Gloucester. But I miss having the single room that I did in Paris.

Had a couple of scares re the gondola ride included in today's excursion. The first was wondering if the gondolas were available at all, because the heavy rains coupled with a high tide had raised the water level under the bridges. The second was Daddy standing up in the gondolas, after LisaH ahd told us not to move once we were in place. Ah, well. The ride itself was rather bland -- the gondoliers don't sing anymore. Our musical accompaniment was a tape of Dean Martin hits, which didn't impress Ma at all.

Dinner was rich - pasta, roast chicken, dessert. We had Maureen at the table with us, and later took Anna under our wing -- or rather, Mommy did. After dinner we were off on a water taxi for a night view of Venice. Though slightly choppy at the point where the boat entered the open sea to get to St. Mark's Square. Cities are lovely to visit at night, when they are cooler, and fewer tour groups about. Venice is enchanting by night -- from the illuminated Bridge of Sighs to the charm of the cafes "competing" musically. Each cafe about the square has its own quartet, and these take turns playing the lighter classics. Spectators hover about the fringes of seated customers, moving from one band to another as the repertoires change.

This was supposed to highlight the evening, so we had nice front row seats for the music. This is where we more or less adopted Anna, who sat with us for the entire concert. The sky sent a few sprinkles our way, but not enough to cause worry to anyone but Ma.

After we finished our drinks, Lisa bundled us off to our water taxi for our cruise down the Grand Canal to visit the various historical palazzi, and the Rialto. Mercifully the trip was less choppy, because we were cruising a canal and not the open sea. The Rialto was lovely to look at, perched over the canal and glowing white in the pitch black of the night. I was immediately put in mind of the famous line from Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice : "Ho now! What news on the Rialto?"

The water taxi dropped us off at the hotel, and none too soon, for the wind started to chill and bring a few raindrops with it. Not much, but enough to set Ma scurrying for cover, as usual.