Venice in a Day and One Heck of an Ending

June 17--day 9

Since we were unable to have our gondola ride and tour of the Grand Canal yesterday because of the high tide, today was jam packed. I'm not one to plug, but I will say, Dina, our tour guide from Trafalgar, has been beyond awesome. I can't imagine all the legwork and behind the scenes details she has taken care of on a daily basis. While doing so she has exhibited poise and grace under what I would guess is a heck of a lot of pressure.

We crammed a lot of activity into this one day. We started at a glass factory in Murano.

fornace means furnace

In Murano, the old world glass blowing still happens. 

heating it up

shaping the glass

heating it back up 

two finished products

Next we had a walking tour of Venice and into St. Mark's Cathedral (no pics there).

kids playing in a courtyard

so sweet

jumping rope

From the walking tour, we wandered around and ate lunch:

tortellini

caprese

calamari

From there we took a gondola ride through the smaller canals and a larger taxi out onto the Grand Canal:

Grand Canal:

The Rialto Bridge is under construction.

From there, we headed to the island of Burano, a fishing village with beautiful, colorful, little houses. We were headed of there for dinner.

Now. Helen Branson, I promise (the Ken Cox family, I pinky promise) that the story I'm about to tell you is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth...and if I did not document some of it in pictures, you still may not believe me.

We got to our little restaurant...

Do you see that sweet little Italian woman at the back of the restaurant? Go ahead, zoom the photo in...such a sweet little Italian lady--Artenia.

The meal was delicious from beginning to end.

I wish this one had a nicer name--fish paste--but it was really tasty on both the toasts and the rolls. We think it's a snapper--best served with a squeeze of lemon.

Seafood risotto--Tim described this one as comfort food.

seafood lasagna--also good

salad and John Dory fish

Fried calamari and shrimp--by then, we were stuffed.

By the time we had gotten to dessert--little S-shaped cookies dipped in your drink--wine, soda, coffee--I had stopped taking pictures. Artenia served each course herself, dishing each portion from a large platter, clearly proud of her dishes (as she should be).

Now for the story. It all started with the french fries. Several guest at our table did not want fish, so they ordered chicken or beef. With those entrees, came french fries. Tim did order the fish, so he should not have gotten french fries. By the time Artenia got to Tim, there were no other chicken or beef entrees, and she had extra fries. She gave him one look with a twinkle in her eye and dumped the remainder of the fries on Tim's plate. He smiled and said, "Grazie!"

"Prego!" She answered.

Over the course of dinner, Artenia teased a couple other guests, whether it was about what she was giving them or maybe their name:

"Tim! Aaahhh, like the telefono, yes?!?!" (There is a phone company named Tim in Italy...maybe all over Europe?)

Of course, Tim just smiled and laughed...then it started...

After dessert, it was time for coffee. Artenia worked her way down the table, asking who wanted coffee. She got to Tim.

"Ahhh, Tim...ah, you-a want-a coffee? Ahh, you want-a coffee?

"No."

"Ahhh, Tim, you-a want-a tea?

"No, thank you."

Do you see this coming? She's had a little sparkle in her eye all evening. Tim is quiet by nature...she's having fun...

"Ahhh, Tim, do you-a want-a coffee, tea (insert demure look) or me?"

Let me give you a little lesson in Italian...often, the ending of a word determines gender. For example, casanova--male. Casanovo--female. Artenia--casanovo!

Tim turned three shades of red and laughed uncontrollably.

She also brought warm milk in a pitcher. She put the pitcher in front of Tim, (who if you remember, did not want any coffee) and squeezed her breast to indicate it was milk. An apricot ended up down his shirt as well...ummm, I'm not sure I can even try to explain this one.

We were all laughing pretty hard. (None; however, laughed as hard as I did.:)) I leaned over and said to him, "You should tell her you changed your mind--you didn't want coffee or tea, but you did want something." I knew better than to think he would do this--never in a million years...and I was right, he didn't.

We finished up coffees and desserts and got ready to leave. Others were getting pictures with Artenia. I said, "Oh, you have to get a picture with Artenia." Tim agreed.

What happened next, I could not have predicted for all the money in the world...

Artenia decided she was going to leave with her little Tim.

He stepped on her toe, and she pretended to limp.

And then...












...this...

He picked her up, turned her around, put her down, and planted a big ole' kiss on her cheek! He had the attention of every single person in the place. All eyes were on them. And I think he loved every minute of it! :)

And THAT, my friends, is a memory never to be forgotten!