Wednesday, 25 October, Venice to Tallahassee

Written 28 March 2024

Our flight, direct from Venice to Atlanta, was at 11:30 am, but we were sceduled to leave the hotel at 7:45 am. That was fortunate, because after grabbing breakfast at the hotel and meeting another couple from our group who were scheduled for the same water taxi, we stood around and waited a good 20 minutes for a third couple to show up (they were on a different Tauck tour, also breaking up today). Because the members of our group were scattering in all directions, and at many different times, Anna had recruited help to shepherd us all to our scheduled transport. A colleague of Anna's therefore showed up to escort us to the airport, which is on the Italian mainland.

In most cities, when you want to transport a bunch of luggage from one address to another, you hail a taxi and have it loaded into the trunk. That doesn't work as well in Venice, so troops of porters, pushing wooden barrows, fill the gap. Our luggage was all piled onto such a barrow, and we followed our guide and the porter back through the tiny streets to the Piazza San Marco.

The aqua alta had subsided, and the flood waters were gone, but the fact remains that Venice is still constantly menaced by flooding. The lagoon is now protected by the flood barriers, but sea level is rising. In addition, the city is, in fact, sinking. As a result, according to the PBS special we watched (I'm not making this up), engineers are, as I write, scheming to slide giant inflatable mattresses under the city—whether above or below the piles, I'm not sure—that can be used to lift the city to a safer level. Not the same technology used to raise Galveston after that disastrous hurricane season in 1900, but the same concept. I wish them good luck.

At the Grand Canal, we boarded a water taxi and headed for the airport. Our luggage disappeared but reappeared for us to reclaim once we got there, still under guard of a Tauck employee.

Despite the delay at the start, we still had some time on our hands at Marco Polo Airport, so we sought out the VIP lounge and were able to make an early lunch off their buffet.

At the left here is the bar. At the right an array of hot dishes in little paper boats: in the center small breaded veggie fritters; to the left of them, veggie risotto; and to the right of them veggie quinoatto, which is I suppose what you call a pilaf or risotto made with quinoa.

Then an array of sandwiches, and a couple of kinds of foccacio with different toppings like tomato and mushroom. The left-most sandwiches are on what passes for croissants in Italy.

A selection of salads was on offer, including spinach and tubs of cut pineapple (each with its own little disposable bamboo fork), then an assortment of small slices of pizza and sausage rolls.

The dessert offerings are shown in the right-hand photo.

Then it was time to board for the flight. At the left is David, setting into his place.

At the right is the row behind us, as yet unoccupied, showing how the rows look when you arrive. The big zipper case contains a pillow, a very soft, large comforter, and a pair of terrycloth scuffs. The pillow and comforter are, Delta swears to us, made entirely of bamboo.

The movie choices were not terrific, so I spent the time between meals doing puzzles and reading.

Delta does a good job with meals in first class. First, they brought us warm mixed nuts and a choice of OJ, sparking wine, or a mixture of the two.

Next came this first-course assortment of melon with prosciutto; a lovely butternut squash soup; a tomato, cheese, and arugula salad; and a whole grain roll with both a cylinder of excellent butter and a tiny glass bottle of olive oil.

The main course was braised beef with truffle jus, mashed potato, braised radicchio, and spinach.

From the three dessert courses, I chose the ice cream sundae.

At mid-flight, they brought around warm chocolate-chip cookies, and every so often throughout they brought around the usual basket of chips, granola bars, peanuts, pretzels, etc.

Our ride was waiting for us at the Tallahassee airport, and we treated her to supper at the Wharf Casual Seafood on the way home.