Wed 27 September 2017

We arrived in Venice by VFT (very fast train), speeds up to 250kph at about 2.30pm.

Lovely trip. The country side looked so much like Umbria or Tuscany, lovely green fields, occasional vineyards, old stately homes, old, not so stately, farm homes. The train only stopped at four-five stations, Florence being one where two young Kiwi's joined our compartment of four.

On arrival we caught water taxi which delivered us right to the small dock outside our hotel.

We were welcomed, concierge adamant he remembered us, however hour or so later during conversation, told us he has been here three years, so it isn't us he remembered!! That's Italians for you.

The suite allocated to us this visit, has exactly the same view, overlooking the canal with view of Bridge of Sighs, only we are one floor higher.

The suite is just lovely. A four poster king bed, with the most stunning Murano glass chandelier hanging from the ceiling in the centre of the room. Can't imagine how much it must be worth. The room directly below we remembered had one exactly the same. The furniture and fittings much cost of considerable sum in this hotel.

The bathroom is green marble, old style deep bath/shower is adequate, only no shower curtain so one has to have ones wits about one or flooding the floor is a real possiblity. So far, so good!

It didn't take long to unpack and we were eager to retrace familiar territory.

We enjoyed easy pizza dinner, just a few doors from our hotel on first night. P isn't drinking alcohol as he is on a course of medication for a tooth ache he developed the Friday, oh yes, ..... still the medication is working and hasn't slowed him down at all. (Dental work awaits his return though).

I thought of joining him in solidarity, however, the thought only lasted several seconds!

Thursday 28 September 2017

We decided on room-service continental breakfast, as the breakfast otherwise is served in their sister hotel around the corner and our memory was that is was usually crowded. Having breakfast delivered to our suite with the stunning views we have is definitely the better option.

After breakfast we decided to revisit our loved Canereggio....near the Rialto Bridge and a lovely stroll over many bridges, across many canals. It's the "suburb" where locals shop, eat and hang out!

It was during this outing that I found this beautiful "baby" shop, clothing especially for little ones. This business has been in the same location for over 70 years and is a family owned business, only Italy made clothing and only of this region...definitely nothing "made in China", the owner proudly told us.

The front windows are of course fitted out in autumn/winter however upon asking she did have some summer stock in the rear of the shop. A beautiful outfit, just perfect size for little Arthur, so Nanny of course bought it.

Now, I didn't want to carry it around for ten weeks. The owner parcelled it small enough that would fit in a plastic envelope for easy posting.

She gave us "vague, casual" directions to the post office (in fact all Italians only give vague, casual directions, nothing specific, nothing written down. You know, turn right, over two bridges, on your left.....yeah right)!

Not to be daunted, we set off to post this precious parcel, asking three times if we were still on track!

A "begger" Sudanese I think, was standing on a corner so I asked him the whereabout of post office. He was kind enough to give detail, "four door ways along, you are almost there". Turned out the post office must be for locals only because there is no sign at all outside the building where the post office is housed. It is a "house", walk inside and it's a fair size post office.

The postal assistant was very pleasant, she gave us the appropriate size plastic envelope and asked us to address it. I took on that task, stood to the right of the lady (P was standing in front, conversing in his Italian) while I pulled out my mobile phone to get the address.

We then had to list the hotel name/address as "sender" and so I placed my mobile on the counter, moved towards P so he could tell me the spelling of the hotel etc etc. We handed the parcel over, paid the appropriate postage, P bidding his "good-bye", in perfect Italian and out we went.

My now, "begger" Sudanese, now my friend was still standing on the corner. even asked if I found it, so I generously gave him his "daily food" in appreciation. Everyone now is happy, my gift is on it's way!

In less than ten minutes we were at the restaurant where we had enjoyed one of the best meals of our last trip, so of course, we were going to lunch again. Then, I realised, I didn't have my mobile phone. No more than fifteen minutes after leaving the post office.

P told me to take a table and he would go back for it. I gladly did, absolutely confident he would return with my phone. Oh, no, not to be.

The helpful postal lady was just about to go on break when P asked about my phone, giving a detailed description, colour of case, everything. She apparently did look around but said she never sighted it. It wasn't there. There was a lady waiting in queue when we left, could even have been more come in after we left, anyway, no phone.

Truly, I was devastated, I don't loose things .... not my much loved, absolutely essential mobile phone. I was very upset however P in his usual calm, reasoning self convinced me we would do what we could when we returned to the hotel, but for now, let's enjoy lunch.

We did ,although I had this sinking feeling in my stomach!

During that morning, less than an hour before shopping and the posting episodes, we had stopped briefly in a piazza for a quick machiatto and I took advantage to ring OPTUS and ask them to turn off my international roaming (after receiving an SMS from them), how fortuitous, at least the thief couldn't use my phone. One, they wouldn't know the number to unlock it and then even if they are smart they couldn't use it. NO consolation.

When we returned to the hotel I used P's phone to again ring OPTUS, this time to report my phone stolen! The helpful, hard to understand Philipino, immediately put a block on it and told me they couldn't do anything else until I returned to Australia, with a police report of the theft!

Next exciting two hours were spent, first half hour, following again vague directions to the Carabinieri (Italian police) station, then spending hour and half whilst the officer completed the triple copies of paperwork, all for a phone that will never be seen. Passport details and phone details were taken. I had even produced the serial number of the phone (securely noted in my little black book), however the Cabainieri officer said, I was one digit short for serial number....honestly, he really was infatic, I equally so that this is the Apple serial number. He left room to discuss the situation with his colleagues and returned, I guess, happy to accept the number I gave him. Why, when the phone can't be used, and probably is at the bottom of one canal in Venice for all time.

I have a copy of this "Italian" document, hopefully stating that my phone has been stolen in his beloved Venice, from the country's post office!

It will be interesting when I return and supposedly scan this Italian language document and send it to OPTUS. Unless they have Italian translators in the Philippines call-centre I can only assume they take my word for the fact, this is a report of thief!!!

Hence, no photos of Rome, no early photos of arrival in Venice. They are in the Apple i-cloud, waiting to find their "parent Mac" and i-pad to "share" the pictures with. That can't happen!

Friday 29 September 2017

Today we spent the morning in the piazza, taking in the beautiful music provided at one outside restaurant and partaking of toast cheese/ham sandwich and cuppacino (still luke warm I'm afraid). The weather is coolish however sitting in the sun was just lovely.

Tonight we have tickets to Vivaldi various works performance, just close by to the hotel. That should be a lovely way to spend our last night in Venice.

Tomorrow at 11.30am we have booked a water taxi to take us to the cruise terminal, to board our Queen Victoria from 12noon.

Next blog will be from on board....Ahoy, till then