8 September 2011

PIAZZA SAN MARCO BY NIGHT

Alas! The Prop has been less than assiduous in keeping his readers informed of progress. A case of too much to do, too little time and not really giving a tinker's cuss one way or the other.

But to recapitulate.

Arrived in Venice last Sunday at the height of the Regatta Storica which has been running since 1300 and something - so they have pretty well worked out how to run the show by now. This involves closing the Grand Canal to all traffic. If you thought that this would probably cause a bit of chaos navigation-wise then you'd be right on the money.

The Prop had to pay 80 Euros for a water taxi from Marco Polo Airport because the public transport system was more or less out of action due to the closure of the Grand Canal.

We were dropped off by the taxi driver/captain/pilot at Santa Maria Formosa - which is four bridges and several hundred metres from the Prop's lodgings. It was 31 degrees and about 98% humidity and  the man who was supposed to meet us was 40 minutes late. Still, eventually we were conducted to our apartment which was, as promised, modest yet stylish and about 170 m from St Mark's Square and so, very convenient.

The Prop was immediately accosted by street vendors who, presumably having heard of the Prop's great powers of negotiation, were keen to pit their meagre skills against him!

The Prop purchased a solar-powered rocking gondola (to go with the much-admired Elvis Clock) and a strange elastic ball which when thrown to the ground sticks like s/#t to a blanket before gradually regaining its original form. In truth the Prop paid about 3 times what each of these articles was truly worth. On the positive side, the Prop did manage to resist purchasing a strange illuminated slingshot/ helicopter device (which device would have amused "Fudgy" no end) and a handbag which was offered as a once in a lifetime bargain at 50 Euros before being progressively reduced in price to the point where the Prop (who has no use for a handbag) was able triumphantly, to reject the hawker's final offer of 15 Euros!

7th September

After a short break, the Prop is back in business! Unlike most other cities in the western world, Venice has only 2 mobile phone shops - and the Prop only ever managed to find one. Whether the second one exists at all is a matter of conjecture. Anyway after a brief but confusing lesson on the idiosyncrasies of Italian telecommunications the Prop is up and running - or at any rate, walking quite quickly.

Venice! Remarkable. All the tourist brochures say that the first thing you should do in Venice is get lost in the back streets. In the Prop's experience this is something that one does not need to try to do. Indeed, the art of staying in Venice is working out how NOT to get lost!

Dined last night at a Trattoria which is directly beneath the Prop's apartment. (snap - note the washing).

Off to the islands today (Wed). Would have gone yesterday but the water buses (vaporetti) were on strike. Nit sure why. Something to do with Italy being broke I think. Not sure how not going to work will fix the problem - but what would the Prop know about Italian economics

Ciao!

3 September 8.45 pm AESTHETIC

Sitting at Gate11 at Tullamarine having spent the best part of two hours getting through security, customs and various Asian tour groups, it occurs to me that these damned terrorists have a lot to answer for - 10 years from "9.11" (or 11/9 more correctly)

The problem with modern travel is that the journey is complete rubbish and must be endured as a necessary means of arriving at the destination, whereas once upon a time the journey was an end in itself. Voyage by packet steamer or on the Orient Express. Where has the romance gone?

Perhaps these Emirates hosties may know the answer!

Ciao

It is the eve of the Prop's departure and he is testing out the email post facility. If this works the Prop will be able to post to this Blog via email complete with pictures!

31 August 2011

THE ITALIAN JOB

After nearly four years in recess the Prop is back!

Not,as you might suppose, because it is Rugby World Cup time again - which it is. No, the Prop, who has a heart like a cauliflower and a wallet like a Brussel sprout has agreed to take his wife to Italy for two weeks - the last of which co-incides with the first week of RWC 2011. In fact, as luck would have it, the Prop will be in Firenze for the Wallabies' first game of the tournament- against Italy! Forza Wallabies!

No Mcrent Reisemobil this time. The Prop, his wife and their elder son, "the Samnambulist" will travel by train and will be accommodated in modest yet stylish apartments with rooftop gardens fabulous views and free wifi.

The "Rapid Tour of Tuscany, Umbria and Adjacent Precincts" will begin in earnest (actually it will begin in Venice) on 3 September 2011. We arrive just in time to completely miss the Grand Regatta which finishes about an hour after our plane lands - Mi dispiace! - but right in the middle of the Venice International Film Festival. (The Prop is a little concerned that he may be mistaken for George Clooney. The Prop's wife says he has nothing to be worried about!)

With good luck and regular wifi this promises to be a gem of a tour, so stay tuned (as it were) for the next instalment which will almost certainly feature beautiful photographs of exciting (although more exotic) locations like this:-

Ciao!