Canadian Buffoon European Vacation - 30/03 - Endings and Silver Linings

[jedijill]

Venice is my favorite city the world so far. The elegant decay is a perfect description. I was lucky enough to be there during Carnivale and it was amazing to see people in period dress and masks walking around St Mark's Square and all the masquerade parties around town.

I did, however, miss seeing James Bond in a speedboat race with the villains through the canals.

Jill in CO

 

[ColoradoDisneyFreaks]

Venice is my favorite city the world so far. The elegant decay is a perfect description. I was lucky enough to be there during Carnivale and it was amazing to see people in period dress and masks walking around St Mark's Square and all the masquerade parties around town.

I did, however, miss seeing James Bond in a speedboat race with the villains through the canals.

Jill in CO

How about Indiana Jones or the Count of Monte Christo?

So glad you enjoyed your gondola ride, we did too, and I was really hoping after your lead in that you didn't end up with the one stinky ride!

 

[winkers]

I can't see any of the pictures! bummer!!

Venice is high on my "to do" list and on top of my Venice "to do" list is riding in a gondola......when you started talking about it being the worst mistake I was so sad.......my little heart dropped to the floor as my fantasy of floating along romantically through the canals became a sweating huddled mass of hot stink on a boat.......but then you said how much you loved it!

Ahh.....I just went through a roller coaster of emotions but am glad that a lovely gondola ride is still at the top of my list.

 

[winkers]

Venice is my favorite city the world so far. The elegant decay is a perfect description. I was lucky enough to be there during Carnivale and it was amazing to see people in period dress and masks walking around St Mark's Square and all the masquerade parties around town.

Jill in CO

Wow! That must have been amazing!! As a lover of all things historical I would have died!!

 

[Thumper_Man]

I can't see any of the pictures! bummer!!

I'm having the same problem. I bet they were lovely though. I could try to go back and fix them, but I'm currently at work and don't have much time left to my day. I guess I'll have to wait to see Venice.

I can see them on his account though. Looks like he's at the Venetian in Vegas. We've been had. I want my money back.

 

[pkondz]

I can't see any of the pictures! bummer!!

Venice is high on my "to do" list and on top of my Venice "to do" list is riding in a gondola......when you started talking about it being the worst mistake I was so sad.......my little heart dropped to the floor as my fantasy of floating along romantically through the canals became a sweating huddled mass of hot stink on a boat.......but then you said how much you loved it!

Ahh.....I just went through a roller coaster of emotions but am glad that a lovely gondola ride is still at the top of my list.

I'm having the same problem. I bet they were lovely though. I could try to go back and fix them, but I'm currently at work and don't have much time left to my day. I guess I'll have to wait to see Venice.

I can kinda seem them on his account, but they're not really showing up there either. Looks like he's at the Venetian in Vegas. We've been had. I want my money back.

Try it now!

Sorry gang! I got a nice email from photobucket saying I'd exceeded my bandwidth.
Just for you folks, I upgraded the account so the pictures are all up now.
Sorry for the inconvenience.

 

[lisaviolet]

Looked at the pictures. Lovely. Can't wait to take it all in.

 

[mmeb144]

Makes me want to sing opera. Good thing no one can hear me. I loved the pics and the story. Best trip to Venice EVER! At least for me...

 

[pkondz]

Venice is my favorite city the world so far. The elegant decay is a perfect description. I was lucky enough to be there during Carnivale and it was amazing to see people in period dress and masks walking around St Mark's Square and all the masquerade parties around town.

Ooh, lucky! I would have loved (and hated) to be there during Carnivale.
Loved to have seen all the costumes and costumed people.

But... how were the crowds? It was bad enough in the summer, it must be nuts during Carnivale?

I did, however, miss seeing James Bond in a speedboat race with the villains through the canals.

Roger Moore or Daniel Craig?
(and yes, I thought of both of them when we were there!)

How about Indiana Jones or the Count of Monte Christo?

Gotta admit, those two never entered my mind.
Which is good, 'cause there's not much room left up there.

So glad you enjoyed your gondola ride, we did too, and I was really hoping after your lead in that you didn't end up with the one stinky ride!

Touristy?
Yep.
But we're tourists! And we loved it.
Did not notice any smell at all. None of us did.

I can't see any of the pictures! bummer!!

Fixed! Sorry again for that.

Venice is high on my "to do" list and on top of my Venice "to do" list is riding in a gondola.

That's funny. Me too!

when you started talking about it being the worst mistake I was so sad.......my little heart dropped to the floor as my fantasy of floating along romantically through the canals became a sweating huddled mass of hot stink on a boat.......but then you said how much you loved it!

I think whoever wrote that article was maybe a little jaded.
Or he/she'd done it too many times already and was tired or bored with it.

I wouldn't pass it up for anything. If I could only have done one thing in Venice, it probably would be that.

Actually, now that I think about it more.
What would top it is an evening ride. Now that would be something.

Ahh.....I just went through a roller coaster of emotions but am glad that a lovely gondola ride is still at the top of my list.

And it should be!

I'm having the same problem. I bet they were lovely though. I could try to go back and fix them, but I'm currently at work and don't have much time left to my day. I guess I'll have to wait to see Venice.

Thanks, but you couldn't have fixed them... unless you wanted to upgrade my account, yourself?
No?
You sure?

Sorry again for that.

I can see them on his account though. Looks like he's at the Venetian in Vegas. We've been had. I want my money back.

You weren't supposed to tell anybody!!!

Looked at the pictures. Lovely. Can't wait to take it all in.

I await your thoughts with bated breath.

Makes me want to sing opera. Good thing no one can hear me. I loved the pics and the story. Best trip to Venice EVER! At least for me...

Thanks! Glad you liked it.
Please video your opera performance and post it here. Thanks.

no?

 

[jedijill]

The crowds weren't bad at all. Carnivale in Venice is much more sedate and civilized than Brazil or Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

As for Bond, both. When I watched Casino Royale, I loved picking out the parts of Venice I had been to. For example, the tourist office in St Mark's Square was the bank in the movie. I saw the bridge over the canal that I took to my hotel too.

Did you guys do the Secret Itineraries tour of the Doge's Palace? It was the highlight of my trip...well, besides finding the Venice Disney store.

Jill in CO

 

[ColoradoDisneyFreaks]

The crowds weren't bad at all. Carnivale in Venice is much more sedate and civilized than Brazil or Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

As for Bond, both. When I watched Casino Royale, I loved picking out the parts of Venice I had been to. For example, the tourist office in St Mark's Square was the bank in the movie. I saw the bridge over the canal that I took to my hotel too.

Did you guys do the Secret Itineraries tour of the Doge's Palace? It was the highlight of my trip...well, besides finding the Venice Disney store.

Jill in CO

We found the Venice Disney store the first day we were there! I have a picture of the kids in front of the store

We didn't do the Secret Itineraries tour, which is why I only saw the Bridge of Sighs from the inside!

 

[jedijill]

We found the Venice Disney store the first day we were there! I have a picture of the kids in front of the store

We didn't do the Secret Itineraries tour, which is why I only saw the Bridge of Sighs from the inside!

Another reason to go back!

Jill in CO

 

[pkondz]

The crowds weren't bad at all. Carnivale in Venice is much more sedate and civilized than Brazil or Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

So now I want to go during Carnivale!

As for Bond, both. When I watched Casino Royale, I loved picking out the parts of Venice I had been to. For example, the tourist office in St Mark's Square was the bank in the movie. I saw the bridge over the canal that I took to my hotel too.

That's cool!
I have to admit that I was pretty much a slackjawed tourist while I was there.
I didn't think to look for Bond landmarks (and I'm a huge 007 fan) until it was too late.

Did you guys do the Secret Itineraries tour of the Doge's Palace? It was the highlight of my trip...well, besides finding the Venice Disney store.

Well if I told you that, you wouldn't have to keep reading, now would you?

We found the Venice Disney store the first day we were there! I have a picture of the kids in front of the store

Hopefully I'll remember to comment on this in about two chapters.

We didn't do the Secret Itineraries tour, which is why I only saw the Bridge of Sighs from the inside!

And this will be addressed in the next chapter!

Another reason to go back!

 

[My2Girls66]

Hi, I usually check out the photography board and somehow stumbled upon your TR by accident just yesterday! So glad I did. I am thoroughly enjoying it.
I recall you mentioning that you don't remember if you went into Sacre Coeur or not since you had no photos, if I remember correctly there is a sign 'no photography' when you walk in. I am fairly sure I did not take note of the sign and snapped a photo before getting scolded by my children.
We did some similar sight seeing in Bavaria back in '07. We drove from Lake Como, Italy up to Bavaria to see Neuschwanstein, Hohenschwangau, Weiskirche, and Zugspitze. We stayed in that hotel at the bottom of the hill you walk to go up to Neuschwanstein(you can see it in one of your photos). They had a similar breakfast buffet as the one you had From Bavaria, we drove back to Italy making a few stops, Innsbruck & Seefeld in Austria, Castelrotto, Italy, stopped to see Otzi the Iceman in Bolzano, Italy, then Lake Garda and a quick stop in Verona before heading to Venice. I can't say enough good about any of the places we stopped. Gorgeous scenery, great food, wonderful people.
I can't wait for the next chapter of your trip!

 

[pkondz]

Hi, I usually check out the photography board and somehow stumbled upon your TR by accident just yesterday! So glad I did. I am thoroughly enjoying it.

Hi! And welcome to the loony bin!
How did you happen to wander from the photo board to here?

I recall you mentioning that you don't remember if you went into Sacre Coeur or not since you had no photos, if I remember correctly there is a sign 'no photography' when you walk in. I am fairly sure I did not take note of the sign and snapped a photo before getting scolded by my children.

Ha! My kids scolded me for taking pictures in Notre Damme.
I had to explain that the sign (there) said no "Flash" photography.

I do remember seeing the sign for "No photos" at Sacre Coeur, but I still don't remember if we went in.
I think we did... but...

Too much jet lag, not enough brain cells.

We did some similar sight seeing in Bavaria back in '07. We drove from Lake Como, Italy up to Bavaria to see Neuschwanstein, Hohenschwangau, Weiskirche, and Zugspitze.

I'd love, if/when we go back to Italy, to visit Lake Como.
And I've been inside Neuschwanstein three times, but have never set foot inside Hohenschwangau.

We stayed in that hotel at the bottom of the hill you walk to go up to Neuschwanstein(you can see it in one of your photos). They had a similar breakfast buffet as the one you had

Gotta love them Bavarian breakfasts!
Everytime I've stayed in Bavaria (probably about half a dozen different places),
the breakfasts have been huge and amazing.

From Bavaria, we drove back to Italy making a few stops, Innsbruck & Seefeld in Austria, Castelrotto, Italy, stopped to see Otzi the Iceman in Bolzano, Italy, then Lake Garda and a quick stop in Verona before heading to Venice.

Wow! Nice trip!

Odd. I've known about the Iceman since the early 90's, but never knew his 'name' was Otzi.

I can't say enough good about any of the places we stopped. Gorgeous scenery, great food, wonderful people.

I've always found the people in that area to be extremely effusive with their warmth and welcome.

I can't wait for the next chapter of your trip!

Me too! I wonder what's gonna happen next?

Oh, wait. I know already.

Darn.
There goes the 'surprise' element.

 

[My2Girls66]

I was using my iPad to surf the web and have the Dis app. It always brings up the list of boards, I had time to kill and wandered over! Usually I am on my laptop which I have the photography board saved to favorites, I automatically go there. I've been a few times and just love Europe so when I saw your thread I had to check it out.

My DD24 lives in Lyon, France these days. She studied abroad during her junior year('10-'11) at Boston Univ. Grenoble first semester, Paris second. She came home and finished her senior year in Boston. During her senior year she applied for a temp assistant teaching position in France for the following school year, she got it and was placed in Lyon. She left for Lyon in Sept 2012, she was supposed to come home the following May. She has been home twice to visit........

 

[pkondz]

I was using my iPad to surf the web and have the Dis app. It always brings up the list of boards, I had time to kill and wandered over! Usually I am on my laptop which I have the photography board saved to favorites, I automatically go there. I've been a few times and just love Europe so when I saw your thread I had to check it out.

I usually go to my subscriptions first, then the Community Board and then, if I still have time, the photo board. (I run the DIS Caption Contest there)

Which ever way you got here, glad you found us!

My DD24 lives in Lyon, France these days. She studied abroad during her junior year('10-'11) at Boston Univ. Grenoble first semester, Paris second. She came home and finished her senior year in Boston. During her senior year she applied for a temp assistant teaching position in France for the following school year, she got it and was placed in Lyon. She left for Lyon in Sept 2012, she was supposed to come home the following May. She has been home twice to visit........

I should show this to Elle. She's learning French now and wants to be a teacher.
You must be very proud of your daughter.

 

[Backstage_Gal]

Awesome Ponzi! I may have to talk hubby into going to Italy instead of Prague, since we had to defer that trip this year.

 

[My2Girls66]

I highly recommend studying abroad. DD had a great time, it was a great experience. Plus we got to visit her in each place and we have our own personal interpreter when we visit!

 

[pkondz]

Awesome Ponzi! I may have to talk hubby into going to Italy instead of Prague, since we had to defer that trip this year.

We really want to go back and see more of it.
As a matter of fact, we were having lunch today and talking about it.
Rome, Florence were mentioned.

I highly recommend studying abroad. DD had a great time, it was a great experience. Plus we got to visit her in each place and we have our own personal interpreter when we visit!

I wonder if she'd have the confidence to do it... but we would certainly encourage it!