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Europe 2017
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Wednesday August 9, 2017
Florence to Venice

Thursday August 10, 2017
Kayak Venice
Next
Friday August 11, 2017
Venice to El Granada

We'd talked about kayaking in Venice since we first bought tickets to come back from Venice to the US in 2016
Paul discovered that venicebywater.com is the only kayak company that doesn't start on an outer island.
We had no desire to spend 30+ minutes kayaking across the lagoon each way to get to the main islands, so there was really no discussion of any other kayak companies.

We were given strict instructions not to touch any other boats, especially the gondolas.
Gondolas can cost up to 100k euros, many gondaliers are more jealous of their gondolas than their wives.


2017-08-10 09:08


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2017-08-10 09:36

We soon discovered it was very busy in the canals, and we were the center of attraction!
There were gondolas everywhere in Venice, but we were the only ones kayakers any of these tourists or locals had seen.


2017-08-10 09:36





2017-08-10 09:37
Waiting to cross a very busy intersection


2017-08-10 09:38
Waiting to cross a very busy intersection


2017-08-10 09:38


2017-08-10 09:38




This turned out to be by far the busiest crossing.


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2017-08-10 10:17

Ponte del Chiodo, the only bridge without railing in Venice.




Ponte del Chiodo




2017-08-10 10:42

Grand Canal


2017-08-10 10:42

Kayaking the Grand Canal!
Crossing the Grand Canal was exciting to say the least..
must... get... to... the... other....side...before...we....get....runover!!!!


2017-08-10 10:55


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The route we took

Once we were done we all confessed that all 3 of us woke up wondering if the kayak tour was a good idea but none of us said anything.
We were all very pleasantly surprised at how excellent it was!


2017-08-10 14:44

We ate near the hotel at Osteria Bancogiro.
We sat down outside, but it started to look like rain.
Turns out it didn't really rain hard until after our meal.


2017-08-10 15:21


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2017-08-10 15:59

But eventually it was a deluge...


2017-08-10 16:06


2017-08-10 16:09

After the deluge.


2017-08-10 16:35


2017-08-10 16:54
Chiesa di San Giacomo di Rialto


2017-08-10 16:54
Chiesa di San Giacomo di Rialto



2017-08-10

Ray takes a power nap before he starts his 50 hours of travel back to the US - first leg, from Venice to Rome by train.
He'd forgotten that he actually gets to Phoenix Friday night instead of spending Friday night in DFW - I found him a better flight than American's agents had.


2017-08-10 18:28

Ray sets off for the train station


2017-08-10 18:28

Bye Ray!


Ray's pic he took along the way to the train station


2017-08-10 19:02

Paul and I find 1.50 wine spritzers at al Merca, and we are thoroughly pleased!


2017-08-10 19:06



Paul's pic - Venice tart sprtzer with olive

Ray texted
'I tought it was be fun to get dinner on train since I only got a snack at train station.
 It was not cheap or fun.'

Paul - had 5 of those spritzers.  Yum.


2017-08-10 20:19


2017-08-10 20:48

Paul is back at the bar again!


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2017-08-10 23:27


2017-08-10 21:45


2017-08-10 21:45


2017-08-10 23:27

Paul texted
Cheesiest-ass version of Live and Let Die ... need....more... beer...

Getting further wasted in San Marco listening to 4 different quartests, can't think of a better way to end this madness!


2017-08-10 23:27




Meanwhile, Kent texted from Geneva




'10 churros for 10chf - yum.
...
Kent - I could barely get out of bed today.  What a trip!  In many ways...'
Guy is spinning killer 78 jazz on old turntables.  Sounds pretty good'



Previous
Wednesday August 9, 2017
Florence to Venice

Thursday August 10, 2017
Kayak Venice
Next
Friday August 11, 2017
Venice to El Granada