| Breakfast of bread and LOTS
of water. Watched Ali re-attach mirrors to bus. Gypsies are
apparently interested in those, too. Contiki cough now
everywhere, except Valerie (Val, you're next!). Got blasted by
"Let's Get Loud." |
|
 |
Important Kyle announcement:
no restroom dumping facilities in Italy. Must hold it in. |
| Kyle told us about standing
at tables, buying a ticket before getting food, tourism
police, and possible gondolier strike. |
At rest stop, toilet seats
won't stay down and sensor kept water running. Used a LOT of
toilet paper to tie it down. Used toilet paper to cover
sensor. Got my 0.50 Euro's worth. |
| Kyle tried to fix CD player.
Cleaner asked him to play track 5 then 9, and then thanked him
for using the CD cleaner. No results. Kyle made pen into straw
and blew into CD player. |
At dock before Venice, Kyle
introduced us to "skanky pigeons" with
hemorrhoids... Then he took a name list of who's going on
which gondola. |
 |
Saw Venice, which had no cars
and was still sinking. Kyle said to follow "Per S.
Marco" sign to return to meeting point. |
| Saw Bridge of Sighs and
Doge's Palace.
Got to St. Mark's Square and
chased "skanky pigeons."
|
|
 |
Saw glassblowing in really
hot room. Pictures allowed here, but not in glass shop
(nothing in glass shop anyway). Salesman in Italian suit tried
to sell us glass and demonstrated protectiveness of his
shipping box. He thinks he's the guy in the DHL commercial. |
| Paid 6.00 Euros to ride on
elevator made by "scam" (an appropriate name for
such a rip-off price just to go up an elevator). |
|
 |
Saw some great views. |
| Touched the "do not
touch" bell in tower. |
|
 |
Boarded gondola with Steph,
Moises, Mike, Wendy, and Brad, who shared red wine.
Wendy didn't appreciate my rocking the
boat.
|
| Gondoliers brought boats
together to socialize.
While on gondola, saw cup in
water. Picked it up because didn't like litter. Put it back
because didn't like litter.
|
|
 |
Dined at restaurant with
"blinking red lights" as recommended by Kyle. Got
two-for-one drinks. Tried the 'Bellini' recommended by Kyle.
"I haven't drank this much since
December 26, 2001." -Fellow Contiki Traveler
|
| Waited at base of tower to
meet the group. Nearby was wedding with live band playing traditional
Italian music. |
Saw Africans try to sell us
fake bags on our way back to boat. |
| Other Contiki group joined us
on ferry. Said they were more intellectual than us. Said we didn't know how to appreciate
country. |
|
| Mike's backpack started to
vibrate. Mike thought someone played joke on him with vibrator
from Amsterdam. Turned out to be his razor. |
Saw the "do not
cord" cord Kyle mentioned about the restrooms. Shower
head came off. Water didn't drain. Bathroom door wouldn't
open. |
| First hotel we went to that
used card key instead of weighted key chain or antenna. |
Room was on second floor
right next to loud party. |
