August 20, 1984 - Day 20
ITALY
Tarvisio - Monastier,Venice, Park Hotel Villa Fiorita - Venice Proper
I went down early for a walk around the hotel before breakfast, in an effort to burn some excess energy. Left Ma in the room before going to join the group on the excursion to Venice and Burano, which began with a 30-minute drive past several vineyards and a duck farm (“Anyone fancy duck for dinner tonight?“).
Then we arrived at the quay for the motor-launch trip to St. Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco). :s soon as it was possible, Basil, Shirley, Evelyn, the Taiwan girls and I spent the entire trip topside for the better view and fresher air. I have learned from bitter experience that it's no good to keep me below decks while sailing. So being determined to enjoy this adventure to the lees, topside I went!
Venice - Piazza San Marco
The launch landed just a few steps down from St. Mark's Cathedral, where we crossed the Square to get to the trattoria where the glass factory is located. I chatted with the city guide, who seemed surprised with my knowledge of things Venetian. He'd been to Manila and enjoyed the stay.
All of us walked *very* carefully through the display rooms of the glass factory! So many magnificent pieces - especially the chandeliers. You feel almost afraid to breathe on some of the other pieces because of their delicacy, and their glass jewelry looks almost as pretty as the real thing.
Earl managed to get us out of the factory and into the Square for shopping before the launch left for Burano. Our rendezvous point was at the base of the campanile - I tagged along with Basil and Rita like a dutiful granddaughter and we had fun browsing among the stalls.
Burano Island
“Grandfather“ Basil gave me a navigation lesson for most of the trip from St. Mark's, and it was a treat to discover that his first job was as a harbor customs officer. Thus I learned about signal flags and ship's lights and windward and leeward and have now taken to calling Basil “Grandfather Admiral - sir!“ Thankfully he is much amused.
The first thing one notices about Burano is that its campanile also tilts, like that of Pisa!
At lunch, I was seasted with Rita to my right at the head of the table, then going anti-clockwise : Evelyn, Eddie, Basil, Joe and Maria. The menu looked, and was later proven to be delicious - breadsticks for openers, with vino bianco, followed by filet of sole with lemon, sardines, scampi, calamari - and more vino bianco! Needless to say, the taste for white wine I developed in Vienna was now carried forward with utter enjoyment!
As the meal progressed there was lots of laughter, especially when Basil spotted a gentleman at the bar with a grey ensemble of deerstalker cap and Inverness cape - the joke being that Basil was also wearing his own deerstalker (Hunting Stuart plaid) at the time!
The other chap had a look of utter shock...“priceless“ does not begin to describe it. You could practically hear him thinking, “EGAD!! Another one!“
The men were left to linger at the table while the ladies went shopping. I was fascinated by the faucets in the ladies' room: just put your hands under them and then the water comes out, all on its own. Cool!
Burano is famous for lacework, and all the ladies were charmed by the samples of work on display. Carmen, as the most avid shopper, came away with a very pretty table set, and everyone was praising Earl to the skies for the venue and the quality of the lunch.
Venice Proper - Gondola Ride, Grand Canal
Sylvia gave Bart and Earl a real scare by losing herself in St. Mark's : she stopped to take a picture of the campanile and got separated from the group. Bart found her, but then lost her again in the crowd. Eventually she was re-discovered coming out of one of the tiny bargain stores tucked away in a corner of the Square. Earl was visibly breathing easier on the way to the gondola ride.
The gondola ride went over well. The gondolier serenading us did “Santa Lucia“, “O Sole Mio“, and a few more well-known hits. It was interesting to get a view of Venice from sea level, but nevertheless good to get back on dry land.
Back at the Square, had time for last-minute shopping and afternoon tea, where I was introduced to gelato, and enjoyed it with Basil, Rita and Angie.
Tarvisio - Monastier,Venice, Park Hotel Villa Fiorita
Dinner tonight was very, very good - no doubt because we were working within the timetable of the kitchen this time. Evelyn, Shirley, Jun and Carmen, Gene, Frank and Bertha, and I all went on a leisurely walk to digest dinner. Little did we know that we were setting ourselves up for one of the funniest episodes on tour, bar none.
Upon our return, we relaxed for a few moments in the lounge, and then Jun, Carmen, Gene and his wife went to take the elevator. Frank and Bertha had already gone up; when Shirley, Evelyn and I got to the elevator, Maria was sitting in a chair, waiting. She said that Joe, the Nocons, the Galangs and the Jacksons were using the baggage elevator and it wouldn't take them up.
While Evelyn and Shirley went off to one side to talk, I waited with Maria to see what would happen next. The elevator doors opened to disclose the startled faces of the group Maria had earlier enumerated!
I pressed the indicated button at their request. The doors of the elevator doors closed...stayed closed...and opened again on the ground floor! This close/open sequence was repeated about four times and by the fourth occurrence I was helplessly caught in a fit of giggles.
The passengers all spilled out, expressions clearly stating that the lift had been taken over by gremlins - which was the precise moment Bart and Earl chose to come through the lobby.
They took one look at me giving way to my giggles despite valiant efforts to maintain control and *their* faces said they thought I hugh on something. Earl asked if I'd had too much wine, and between gasps I told him the saga.
Bart tried it, and I said, “Hope we *don't* see you back right away,“ which drew a startled look from Earl. Naturally, after all the shenanigans, Bart went straight up and back with no problems at all, and commented : “It's like a woman -- play her too much and she gives you trouble!“
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