Left Houston 40 minutes late but only arrived 10 minutes late in Frankfurt… Nice flying Captain Wagner. I arrived a bit tired with 4 hour layover in Frankfurt. I did avoid a 9 hour disaster by changing seats. I was seated next to what initially seemed like an fabulously eccentric 90 year old lady,on her own, making her way Africa. It was long before I realized that although she might have been eccentric she was also quite crazy. (Note to self, airlines do not require sanity certificates to board a plane and crazy people often have money and do travel.). She made her reservations through a travel agent ? She began singing and whistling and applying lipstick generously, coloring mostly outside the lines. I had as much as decided it was the better part of valor to give up the upgraded seat and find a quiet spot in the rather empty plane. Flight attendant had seen some of the goings on and kindly offered to relocate me ” So that we could spread out and feel MORE comfortable! She winked at me! I was moved to the exit spacious exit row and by myself. United flight attendants get a two thumbs up from me. I still don’t like their employer though. Headed straight for the united club and ate a bowl of soup and then requested a sleeping room. I had never done this before so that I would actually take advantage of the club fees I have paid all these years. I think I laid down or perhaps collapse but 3 hours later my iPad announced it was time to fly again.
Frankfurt to Venice and €15 ticket later I walked to the Vaporetta loading zone. I boarded the boat and sat next to the cutest little five year old adult. He greater me immediately and demanded to know my name. His mother scolded him at which time he told her that he was going to tell me his name as well so that was fair wasn’t it? He was dark eyed and dark haired mix of his mom and dad, British and Indian. I was feeling a little hungry so I pulled out a bag if gummy bears and he immediately wanted yo know if those were sweets and that he would love to taste them because he liked sweets and after all he didn’t have his candy and it wasn’t nice to eat without sharing I was informed. This five year old had been to Italy before and began giving me travel tips. He informed me that Italy was much nicer than surrey and that I could eat lovely pasta all the time I was here! I told him that I also used to live in England and he began to share food experiences. He likes eggs and hash browns and the did I like hash browns. He likes bread and butter, did I like bread and butter. He liked only vanilla ice cream, did I like ice cream and what flavor did I enjoy? His mother tried to shush him but he was having none of it and I was having fun with him as well. Finally his mother asked if I was an au pair. I laughed and told her “well sort of, I baby sit money!” Her son thought that was quite funny and asked me to watch his because his sister was always taking it! This little foodie continued down the list of likes and don’t really like and we finally landed on a favorite if fish and chips and he said “we could order together and he would take the chips and I could have the fish at least that is how daddy does it. “. Everything this mi food critic said was funny with his proper English accent and everything was lovely! We arrived at his exit first and he shook my hand and told me to have a lovely holiday and eat spaghetti and pizza because they were his favorites. I waived and told him to have fun as well and he looked over at his sister and said that he was having a holiday with her and she was difficult! His mother did everything she could do to not laugh and bid me a happy holiday.
I landed at San Angelo and followed Cecilia’s well laid out instruction to the apartment, San Benito design studio. Great place close to the boats and easy to find. Thanks you inserted here to C. Kibby, I packed light, well lighter than before I spoke to her. Rounded the last corner, dragging my “lighter” bag and headed into a very charming square and ran looked up and ran right into Rebekah who had beat me to the apartment. She had generously popped out to the grocery and obtained snacks. We hugged each other like we hadn’t seen each other in years! Amazing how excited and wide eyed she looked. She had gone for diet coke for poor tired me!
We snacked and then cleaned up. Still rather early 7:45 so we headed off to the next adventure, dinner? We found a cute little bistro and filled up on two rather large bowls of spaghetti and caprese salad, yummy. We talked for two hours about her travels. She has a worse case of wander lust than I do and I am so glad that she is experiencing the world. Hostel this, and train that, and girl from holland, and mixed dorms- yikes, and Paris and what a trip! She couldn’t stop telling me about her adventures and the more she talked the more she lit up! I was almost Geary eyed thinking about the 4 years that she has come through and not only survived but is embracing life! We then of course walked to Piazza San Marco and enjoyed live music and gellato.We took a leisurely stroll back and I headed to bed and Rebekah headed to the washing machine! She really packed light… Good girl.
(Oh no, I just realized I sound like M. Kibby with his travel log).
Off to wander and explore? Ciao!