Last night Tron and I turned off our alarms, closed the curtains securely, and didn't wake up until after 7am. Lots of other riders were up early for the buffet breakfast, with plenty of talk about who was leaving and how, I chatted with Monique (Quebecoise) who arrived yesterday to join the TDA tour heading westward. Apparently those with bicycles-in-a-box will have to arrange a 'water taxi' for E120 (!!!) to carry them and their box from Lido to Marco Polo Airport - about the same cost as shipping it from Venezia to Winnipeg. Once again, taxi drivers are living up to their international reputation for being officially sanctioned professional thieves, and no small wonder that Uber is doing so well around the world.
Purchased a 48-hour ''ride everywhere" ticket and then caught an early morning #1 ferry that goes from Lido, across to San Marco Island(s), and then along the entire length of the Grand Canal to the Railway and Autobus Station.
Walked around the northeast corner of San Marco then caught another ferry across to Murano, where they have several entrepreneurial furnace shops and produce the marvelous coloured Venetian glass that's world famous. (Check out the glass display in the town centre.)
Grabbed a few supplies at the local Co-op store and found a shaded area on the water's edge - overlooking the distant island of Burano and watching airplanes take-off from Marco Polo Airport - to enjoy my own private picnic.
Caught another ferry back to San Marco and walked around the Piazza San Marco, doing my best to avoid being stomped by the hordes of tourists and found that the clock tower opens for viewing at 08h30 (tomorrow's plan).
Another ferry down the Grand Canal in the mid-afternoon when the sun illuminates all the buildings on the other side of the waterway.
Then another couple of ferry boats along the east coast of San Marco and back to the our island of Lido about 5pm for supplies.
Now that my stay in the TDA-sponsored room has expired, the hotel has re-located me to #403 for the final two days of my stay in Lido, Venezia, Veneto, Italy. As you can see, it's a penthouse suite with a double bed in the loft, a full-size bathroom and swirl-pool tub, and a large west-facing balcony with a hammock and cactus plants. Quite the change. I deserve it ... but Kathy's paying for it.
Gergo dropped by to give me my TDA riding shirt for the TransEuropa2016 tour, so we had a long and honest talk. Time for supper, so went to a seafront restaurant named Isola D Oro on the seafront facing San Marco. Took two photographs,
one at sunset while I was waiting for the menu, and
the other after my first course when the cruise ship AIDAbella was leaving port and totally blocking my view of Venezia. Notice the difference?
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