We started the day with the hotel breakfast, then set off for Venice again. We didn’t want to walk the same 10 miles this time so we resolved to give the ferry on the Grand Canal a try. When we left the train station I approached the ferry ticket booth and asked for 2 tickets to Salute, meaning the stop by the Basilica de Santa Maria della Salute (“Saint Mary of Health”). I chose that destination because it was at the far end of the Grand Canal and was on the other side of the canal from Piazza San Marco. Might as well see what that side has to offer.
The Salute stop is reached via the Number 1 water ferry route and the ticket seller told me to board it at Dock A. Or at least I thought that what she said. But after Marlene and I went through the Dock A turnstile, waited patiently while people boarded the Number 2 ferry and then saw the Number 1 ferry pass us by, I figured we might not be in the right place. So I exited the dock, went back to the ticket booth and asked a different seller where I should board Number 1. Dock E he said. Not A. E. Sounds similar when given with an Italian accent.
Anyway, I went back to Dock A, collected Marlene and marched down a hundred yards to Dock E. Fortunately, the ticket still worked for us there. We boarded the Number 1 ferry when it arrived a few minutes later.
We spent some time in the basilica (very impressive) then wandered the streets near it. Then we crossed the Grand Canal on a bridge and looked for a restaurant. I wanted a real Italian spaghetti meal.
We dined al fresco at a little restaurant in the Campo Santo Stefano. Marlene had spaghetti pesto with shrimp and I had spaghetti carbonara. Both excellent. We really splurged and we each had a glass of wine with the meal.
The rain started just as we were finishing. We hopped back on the Number 1 ferry. By the time we reached the train station the rain was pretty steady and was pouring by the time we reached Mestre. Fortunately we had brought our ponchos so we donned them for the 10 minute walk to the hotel.
We weren’t really hungry but had some bread and cheese in the room. Then Marlene continued her dominance in rummy, winning both games.