4th of July in Venice

 I decided we should spend a LONG weekend in Venice as things are starting to open up.  I chose weird flights that went through Madrid rather than sort of direct. The options were train to Frankfurt with a flight or flights only.  I like the option of flights - not sure why I'm so anti train, but I think I need to change my ways if there isn't more direct flights to take.

So, we flew through Madrid - delt with the extra forms and issues that come with flying through another country to get to the final destination - the good news is that going wasn't too bad other than the confusion of what forms were really required to go/come/go through other countries.  We were shoved paperwork that we dutifully filled out and didn't really turn in anywhere.

So, here we go!

We arrived in Venice and choset to travel to the hotel via the transfer bus.  It worked out well for us.  We missed the first bus, but only had to wait for 20 minutes.  No biggie and it was a very short walk from the far side of the train station to our hotel just to the other side of the same train station :)

Not a far walk and we're right on the Grand Canal!

Entering the room....

The living room actually as seen from the bedroom... the entry is right at the end of the lovely pink sofa.  The bath is in the door straight ahead.

The bedroom - do you think that is enough toile?  Pink toile at that!!  LOTS Of pink and lots of toile!!

OUR VIEW!  This is the view from the living room ... the hotel across the canal had a wedding the first night - there are video's of it on my facebook account.  So the only downside to this view is that it is east facing - so it's HOT as blazes in the morning.  The GREAT news about this room is there is A/C.  Yes, it was HOT while we were there... but what's weird is it was only 84 at the highest, but without A/C in lots of places and the amount of concrete and marble, this place really holds the heat and the humidity as it's on water is through the roof.  It would cool down over the night.  The other thing we discovered being on the grand canal was the noise factor.  Now it's not awful, but it is busy and starts to ramp up at 5am with construction and work boats making their way around the city.  Being where we were too, the construction pickup area for materials is at this end of the canal... so you get ALL the construction traffic here.  I do NOT regret getting a canal view, I don't regret spending the money on a grand canal view... but I think I would either 1) go further down the canal for less traffic or 2) go to an inner canal to have the cute views but with less traffic. 

Another observance is that there was a LOT less crowding and people at the train station.  In the past in July there would be tons of people in the square - there weren't.  We didn't got to St. Marks square at all so we don't know how that area would compare to non Covid times - I know, sacrilege not going to St. Marks Square, right? 

Dinner the first night we chose to repeat a restaurant we visited on one of our first visits to Venice. 

It's right next to the hotel.  It was a great place to eat with the wedding occuring right across the water.  There was music and ambiance galore!

The next day I had planned a walking tour - during the heat of the day... but it was well worth it - it was a historical tour, so we could see and hear about some of the history of venice.   Here are some of the photos I took while on this tour.

We had some lunch near Rialto in an alley of all places.  it turned out to be a decent meal.  I don't really remember what we had, but it was nice to sit in the shade and enjoy a glass of wine and some food and relax for a bit.  It was really steamy and we sweat and WALKED a LOT on this trip.

As we were tired from walking some 2 miles or more at this point and it was at the heat of the day, we opted to take a water bus back to the hotel for a break.  Really it's for a nap - gawd we are old!

As we took the bus back to the hotel. I snapped a picture of our hotel.  It starts at the corner and goes all the way past the 2nd pink area.  OUR room is the last pink section.

THIS is our section of the hotel.  We are on the 2nd (3rd in the states) floor with the balcony.  The weird thing is that the bathroom that we have is the TINY section in white with the double windows.  Those are the windows over the toilet and bidet area.  This explains the very short ceiling in bathroom... there isn't a raised roof over that area... strange, eh?  Anyway - the two balconies are from left to right living room, then bedroom.  so, quite a large set of rooms.

As we are still in a walking kick and too silly to just take water buses just yet, we walked to Rialto for dinner.  Here are some shots as we walked through the center area of the island.

I'm so in love with the new BRIGHT styles of glasses... so much so that some actually talked to me and I bought them :)

Our view for dinner.  Sadly I had to be a bit whiney to get it.  They wanted us to sit at the side without a view and I was telling Butch this is NOT what I wanted and I wanted to move to a new restaurant if they couldn't let us be on the water... as that is the ONLY reason we walk all over looking for places to eat!!  The waiter finally took pitty on me and moved us to the front of the restaurant so we could have a view while we ate.

                      

The picture I'm tempted to share only - like I'm not even there... but the reality of me being present. 

But the view... the view was lovely!!!

And our views and pictures on the walk home as well ... ah... this is Italy.

Sunday we headed to Murano so I could get some Christmas ornaments... which I did get... but Butch also got something too... meet his new friend.

This thing is HUGE.  It's about 18" tall and probably 15lbs.  He had is shipped back to the states for Liz to be it's caretaker until we get home - it's probably safer that way anyway that it be insured in shipping back there... they also tossed in the ornaments for free once he bought this as well - so bonus for me!!

The Art studio we purchased from: Mazzega Glass Factory

Dinner on Sunday was back to Rialto but this time to look at some of the shops and then go to the restaurants with a view of the bridge.

And then the rain started.... to the point that we were moved off the water front tables because it got gusty and the wind was driven into the awning area as well as dripping directly over the electrical areas.  I was laughing about the rain and the wind.. it wasn't horrible.  Really - but then it got a bit out of hand and we were moved to the building area... we sat and watched people run to and from the area soaking wet.

And because we see faces everywhere... the cameras had ears that made them look like pandas 

So very cute!!

Here are the glasses that I fell in love with.  LOVE all the bright colors and flame look on the water glasses - the smaller are shot glasses and are so very pretty!

And with that, we're back in cold Germay with highs in the mid 60's and rainy.  Part of me is happy to see the cooler temps, but a part of me is sad to be out of the warmth.

What an adventure

Covid tests happened for a few folks in our command (45 of us come down here). Some came back positive. Many more were close contacts and required to stay here another TWO weeks. Can you imagine?  Yeah. Yikes!

Thursday afternoon we were all sent to our rooms without dinner. Literally in some cases if folks didn’t have foood to carry them through to the supposed exit on Saturday. 

We were released to do a quick grocery shop at 15 till close. Fun times. So mad dash to the NEX to grab what I thought was going to be just a. Few more things to get me through as I had planned on eating out one meal on Friday. Yeah. Nope. We were told we are NOT leaving on Saturday as planned. Now departure is undetermined. 

So.... Picked up enough to “make do” through Sunday along with cheese and peanut butter and crackers. And the other odds and ends I have left. 

Friday morning we had a 4:55 muster call. What’s that?  It’s roll call but Navy style. You have mister stations on boats if you have ever been on a cruise. Anyway. I literally rolled outta bed and did my muster via text. We then waited for the Covid test. They started in the other building and went through the personnel there. Room by room. My turn cane at 7:05. In and out. 

Test done. And now we wait. Friday was a fun adventure in computer woes back at the office where connection did NOT happen. So that was a wasted day. BUT I tried.

Friday mornings picture from the room:

There is some fog rolling around in the valley. 

We also got the word as we were not tagged as “close contacts” we could go on very limited/short excursions for necessities. I found it highly necessary to get REAL food from the canteen! I got a bunch of good and o was right. It lasted me through today (Sunday). I even have a bit of the pasta and bean combo left as it truly wasn’t my favorite. 

Lots o’food

The bean and pasta combo. Weird but not a fan favorite. 

Clockwise from the top (1 o’clock) pasta and bean combo, penne and regular sauce, capresse salad (tomatoes basil and cheese), potatoes with yellow peppers and finally meatloaf with spinach (and some of those potatoes as well). Delish and was about four meals in those dishes!!  Yummy!!

I still have some if the bread (there were three rolls) that I’ll use for a cheese sandwich for the flight home tomorrow ;) waste not want not!

Saturday had some rain happing AND I ran out of (as in literally using Kleenex) TP and all this wonderful oily food is making my bowels really loose... so I went out in sweats (yes two day old sweats) with NO bra in search of housekeeping to get some dang TP. Well it’s pouring. I look all over for a housekeeping cart. Nope. I decide to take a picture of the rain before searching any forget for people and I AM LOCKED OUT. Yep. They extended our stay for to the whole Covid snafu but we didn’t think about the keys having to be renewed. Hahaha so I really need to find housekeeping now to get TP and access to my room. Hahaha!  I finally find them and they let me back in my room. I call front desk and she’s saying “come down and get new keys” I’m thinking no way do they want 45 of us coming down there without confirmed tests. Nerp. So I emailed our POC and explain this beds to be dealt with and suggest they have keys dropped at our doors. Which is just what they did. Problem solved except you’ll never guess where I was when they pounded on my door!  Yep. The potty. I wrap up things go to the door nobody there. I sit back down on the potty. Phone rings. Damnit. I missed the call. I go BACK to the door and my new key is tucked in the door lock cockeyed. Good enough. Still chuckle about that one. 

And today (Sunday) our tests came in. 

I’m negative ;) no Covid girl here. I did trim it down to just show positive for Butch to tease him. He’s gullible and believed me. Ha!

And I tested my key first to ensure I could get back in... and took my parting shot. 

Too bad I couldn’t feel good about taking a walk, eh?

They still want us to quarantine because some take longer to become symptomatic and/or have a high enough virus load. So, you guessed it, one more test when we get home, possibly two. Yuck.