Day five of our adventure in Italy (Sun)

Breakfast was the same as yesterday. After we ate we went back to our rooms to pack our bags as today we are leaving for Rome in the afternoon. We are not able to attend Church as there is not a Ward,Branch or even a twig of the Church within walking or water Bus distance. Renting a car and getting it back before we have to be at the Airport is not an option either. So we checked out and wondered around the streets until lunch time.

The pigeons of St. Marks Square loved Nick's new hat!

We ate lunch near the Venice train station at a small family owned resaurant. When we were about halfway thru with our lunch. The chef walked passed us with his hand wrapped in a towel held high by his other hand. I just saw him for a split second, I was not really paying close attention as I was enjoying my Gnocchi and listening to what everyone was saying. Darren on the other hand was fully aware of what was going on. The poor guy had cut his hand very deep. and the other male members off his family were scurrying around trying to get an ambulance there to take him to the hospital. As I have said before the only mode of transportation is feet and boats. So the Ambulances are boats. We had finished our meal and waited at least 15 min. before Darren went to the register to pay. Apparently to add to their very bad day the banks computers were down and the lady who stayed behind to take care of all the customers was doing her best to collect the money. We had cash so hopefully that helped. Anyway as we got on the water bus to go get our bags from the hotel we saw the Ambulance pulling away. The Hospital was a bit of a distance. We had passed it on our way to Morano yesterday. We were all feeling bad and were hoping it wasn't our meal that caused his accident.

It had started to drizzle on our way back to collect our luggage. Venice is all paved in stone and so when it is wet it is slick. I was carrying a carry on bag and my backpack. Everyone else had suitcases or backpacks or both. we were walking pretty fast to try to stay dry so we would not freeze. I slipped, lucky for me the carry on broke my fall and I only hit the ground with one knee. Jeans are a life saver I broke the skin but nothing major. Not too many witnesses and I don't know any of them anyway! We caught a very crowded water bus and Rachel and The kids were able to go inside and sit down. Darren and I stood close to the exit with all our luggage. So we get to the train station and get off first and turn around to wait for everyone else to get off. Rachel and Jackie are standing on the bus waving and yelling at us that we got off to soon. The Italian passangers are looking at them like they are nuts! Darren called Jackie's cell phone and she said we need to be at the land bus station. So we walked to the next stop and got on the next bus to P.ie Roma our stop or so we thought. The Land Bus station was really about a block away from there. That would not be so bad if you were not dragging luggage with you. So our next job was to find the bus with Ryan Air that was only 5 euros per person. We saw a Bus with a Ryan Air paper in the window and thought all right we'll get right on and be set to go. Nope, special bus for people going to Frankfort. So Darren asked the driver how often the Ryan Air buses come. this was at least 10 min into our wait. He didn't get a very clear answer, so he and Rachel wen to talk to the taxi drivers. They came back and said "We'll wait a bit longer". O.K. so we waited longer than Darren could stand it. We ended up taking 2 taxis and arriving well before the people who were on the bus for Frankfort.
Everyone kicking back at the Traversi Areoporto

The view out the front windows of the airport, it is a small airport.

Were were at the Airport in plenty of time for our flight to Rome. This is when I had my first and only Italian Hot Chocolate. Good thing I did, because this day gets even more exciting! We had not checked in yet because it was to early the ticket agents were not there. When the booth opened Darren went up first and we checked our luggage he got our seats and we went to wait near the security line until Rachel and the girls were ready to go. It was taking way longer than it took us. Then I remembered that when we checked into the hotel in Venice that Jackie had forgotten her Passport. Just then she came towards us really upset, they would not let her fly using her Italian student I.D. so she was going to take the next train. Darren went with her and the rest of us once they had left out the door procceeded to go through security. We were a little out of sorts at what had just happened and forgot to discard the water bottles that we had been carrying in Savannah and my backpacks. The guy on my side pointed at it and I said oh sorry can you throw it away. He did, but as I went to go through the x-ray and handed the tickets to the guy on the other side he wanted to know where the 3rd person was. Nick was right behind me, so I tried to explane that he had to go with someone who forgot their Passport. That he was not coming back he was taking the train. Mean while Rachel and Savannah's bags are being checked very carefully because of Savannah's water bottle. They pass them through. and I am still standing there only now the Policia are talking to me about where this Darren Johnson is. I am very calm through the whole ordeal and when they ask if they can keep the ticket I say "keep it, throw it away" Knowing full well they can understand english. Nick wanted to deck them for being a bit arrogant. and that's all it was. So now all we had to do is sit and wait for our plane. A good time to read my book.

Our plane was running about 10 min late, but we were finally on the plane and since we had priority seating we got our seats together. Our flight was 1 hr long and everything went smoothly! After we retreived our luggage we went out to find a taxi to take us to our hotel. Hotel Elvesia. We had a very nice Taxi Driver who spoke some english and he told us what some of the landmarks we were passing were.

Nick checking out his bed for the next couple of nights.

We were so happy to find that our Hotel was a nice clean place near a lot of the sights we wanted to see. The front desk attendants spoke english very well and that was helpful for us as we checked in. They even recommended a place for us to eat. It was almost 9:00pm by the time we got to the restaurant. I remember it was good, I do not remember what I ate. Jackie and Darren did not get to the Hotel until 11:15. We all needed some sleep!