Hail, Hail, the Gang's All Here

We've been having too much fun living our adventure to write about it!  Now we're not, so it's time to post.      JUST KIDDING!

Here are the players in our adventure:

Patricia McLaughlin Everwine

Janice Jones Beane

Diane Kelley

Mary McLaughlin Fisher

Wayne Fisher

Melaney Mulvenna Jordan

Gene Jordan

Joining us in Nice:  John Tockstein

We met up at the airport in Philly mid-afternoon for our early evening direct flight to Venice, Italy.  The U.S. Airways flight was smooth, the food was bad and the little old ladies of undetermined origin were out of their seats, visiting each other and blocking the movie screens most of the night.  In other words, a typical trans-Atlantic flight.

Quick and easy immigration line and we were ready for the Aliliguna boat to take us into Venice.  So we waited on the dock.  And we waited.  And waited.  And sweat. And sweat. And bitched. And moaned.  And sweat some more.  The boat arrived, we got on with the other 427 damp people and enjoyed our one hour boat ride.  At our stop, we were met by the Caretaker of the apartment we rented and shown up the four winding floors to our apartment. Then up one more to the main area then up another floor to the loft bedroom and the rooftop terrace.  Yeah, lots of stairs.  63, but who's counting.  Great apartment, though.  We didn't have enough air conditioning units for the entire place so it was really hot most of the time, but what a view of Venice!

Venice - laundry day

Venice - off the tourist shuffle

Venice - The Bridge of Sighs

Venice - Setting up Shop at 6:00 a.m.

Venice - Laundry Day

Early Morning Arrivals in Venice

We spent the next day and half exploring beautiful Venice. Most of the gang took an evening gondola ride and we were up early the next morning (around six) to walk before the heat and crowds descended.  We walked back through the narrow, cobblestoned streets and saw the vendors sweeping the area in front of their stands using handmade brooms of thick twigs tied to a broomstick. Much more efficient then straw brooms, I think. 

During that one sweltering day in Venice, some took in the Doge's Palace and others braved the  crowds at San Marco Basilica.   One,who shall remain nameless, purchased FIVE leather pocketbooks in various colors and is still searching for the perfect hobo bag in Tiffany Blue.   Can you say late-blooming fashionista?

Saturday morning at 5:00 am we were all up, smiling, (not), happy to roll our luggage down to the dock to pick up the boat that would return us to the airport for our short flight to Nice and the French Riviera.