Day Four: Venice and The Ship
On our last day in Venice we packed up, had a bit of breakfast, booked our water taxi for 2:30 and headed out for some last chance ogling of sites. The flood gates of philistines had opened on the Lord’s day as every canal was jammed with gondolas piled high with tourists and every street was a venetian tango with fanny packs and locals taking their dogs on tedious walks.
I was ecstatic to find the Venetian carnival shop opened where I had eyed a little cape I need for my Halloween costume (going masked Venetian!). I’m not sure what it really is frankly. It’s a cape that goes around your face (think a nun) and then has about two feet of lace at the bottom hitting around the waist. You secure it with the tricorn hat (Rod, we will be adding some fluff to this basic one I bought) and then sport another cape underneath it (which I already own two of). I guess it is to give the utmost in disguise to the costumed carnival goer. God knows how I will eat or drink but I’m sure it will work out!
We then headed to the Doges palace for a quick tour. I remember loving it last time and it was amazing to see it again. The rich silk damask walls, gilded everything and cararra marble fireplaces with St. Mark’s lion carved anywhere there wasn’t a fat faced putti blowing on something or waving around in excitement. The Titian's and Tintoretto's were so sublime. One Titian was hidden in a stairwell for the Doges to gaze at alone before entering the public spaces. How sacred.
After that we grabbed some crap lunch for $60 in the square before getting back to the hotel where our boat was awaiting. The porter piled our luggage on and off we went to the the BIG BOAT.
The Carnival Breeze is brand new to the Carnival line and is apparently part of their ‘dream’ line of higher end ships. The high end part lost all luster when I saw a two story water slide twirling around the top of this 12 story behemoth.
Once we checked in, got scanned, prodded and ID’d we made it to our suite which really is swish and all new! No bed bugs here! We have a cosy little sitting area, two single beds and a massive bathroom with jacuzzi. Most importantly there are two grand closets so mother and I aren’t mixing up panties and drawers with bras and gym socks. Praise!
After unpacking we took a tour of the ship. Had a wee bite to eat and then found part of the 12 members of our group from mom and dad’s yacht club in Georgia by the pool in full cocktail mode. We all made a date for the port side of the ship at 6:15 to kick off the departure, drinks in hand. It was a rather fantastic voyage out of Venice passing by all the iconic areas and monuments and seeing many parts I didn’t even know existed. Carnival got points for having Pavarotti bellowing as we set sail.
Dinner was a mad dash at 6:45 and we have a great table for 12 looking over the stern of the ship for the duration of the trip. Afterwards everyone went to see the show in the theater but I went back to work, meditate and have some me time. How divine to edit my work and send emails from our little balcony as the moon shines and the waves roll.
Mother got back at 11:30 and we were both pleasantly passed out in our little beds by midnight. Here is to 11 more days of this!
