Venetian Rain

We set out this morning after a quality buffet breakfast, much better than that provided in the Best Western at Padua, eaten in the ‘outdoor’ breakfast area at Hotel Saturnia. 
Ame had planned to take us to see the famous Bridge of Sighs, the Rialto Bridge, and the Libreria Acqua Alta before taking the boat over to the exclusive Marriott Resort Island where her husband Luca works as a Personal Trainer. 
We visited the Bridge of Sighs first and took the obligatory photos before setting off for the Rialto, but unfortunately on the way, the rain set in. Not everyone was prepared for rain today, some had umbrellas, but not all, and we tried in vain to find somewhere to shelter and have an early lunch. We persevered until we reached the famed Rialto Bridge, busy with tourists of course, umbrellas threatening to damage eyes at every turn, as people vied for position at the best photo vantage points. 
Having ticked this off the list, we plodded on through the rain to find a cosy lunch spot where we could get some simple plates of food to share and enjoy some more stories while we waited for the rain to abate. The rain however, although only light, was relentless, so we eventually had to brave it again in order to catch the JW Marriott shuttle boat out to the island. It was only a short trip and Luca met us at the wharf with umbrellas for those who needed them, before taking us on an informative and eye-opening tour of the resort. An hour later we were back on the boat and returning to Venice. 
Everyone opted to return to the hotel for a while to catch our breath and dry off before heading out again for some more sights pre-dinner. On the way, we decided it was a good time for a Gondola ride, so we booked two Gondoliers and off we went through the canals of Venice. Neither of our Gondoliers were singers and the extra cost to hire one was too high, so we settled for a thirty minute ride at a cost of €90 per gondola, not bad when split between 4 of us. 
This quintessential Venetian experience was enjoyed by all as the gondoliers floated us gently along between towering buildings on canals barely wide enough for two gondolas to pass each other, around tight corners and finally out onto the more open water of the Grand Canal, demonstrating amazing skills. 
Back on dry land, we set off again to find Libreria Acqua Alta, a now famous bookstore, thanks largely to Instagram, where books are stored in gondolas, boats and bathtubs to guard against damage from frequent flooding. This was a very ‘novel’ experience (pardon the pun). 
Browsing over, we stopped for an Aperitivo en-route to dinner, meandering down the narrowest of alleys which would suddenly open out onto a bridge, or a surprising piazza, in the midst of all the buildings. Our dinner venue was in one such square, bordered by a canal, in a peaceful neighbourhood far from the tourist bustle. I enjoyed a fresh chicken salad while others opted for pasta and pizza variants. 
Soon it was time to navigate ourselves back to the hotel and settle in for our penultimate night in Italy. 





















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