We had our reservations on the train to Venice at 10:30.We reserve them well in advance for the maximum number of people we have in a group – 26, so sometimes we have extra seats. It keeps us in the same carozza and with seats near one another. I usually give a short talk at breakfast at the hotel and then a short talk when we first get going on board. When I interviewed for a job in this industry the first time, with another company back in 2002, my “final” was giving a lecture on board the train from Florence to Venice. It's nostalgic for me now.
Arriving by train we divided the group and jumped into four taxiboats waiting for us. It's a flashy arrival to the hotel on the boat dock. I always feel like a rock star being assisted with disembarking and coming down the long terrazzo flooring in the halls to the front desk. As I checked everyone off in the back hall I glanced in the bar and saw Giorgio in there. He came out into the hall and hugged and kissed me, telling those on my boat they are the luckiest clients to have me as their leader. “No, I am serious. I have known Kristina since before she was a guide, when she was a tourist just as you are. We love her. She is like my daughter. We are always happy to see her here. She makes the hotel even more beautiful.”
Aw shucks.
I got everyone checked in and then found which room is mine this trip. Room 110. I have had this room before. It is one floor up, right over the front desk and faces into the courtyard outside of the street entrance. I can open the doors and call out to people if I so choose. As a matter of fact, this used to be Giorgio's room many years ago. It isn't the usual guide room, which are smaller than single rooms, but the magic of my connections here usually gets me a larger room if any are available. Marco has it coded in the computer to put me in a larger room if at all possible at all when staying withing this hotel chain- four of the six places we stay on this particular group tour. I headed upstairs and found a bottle of prosecco and a small array of dessert cakes courtesy of Giorgio. “Welcome back” the card read.
Aw shucks. These guys really treat me like a princess when I'm working. I called down to the bar and thanked him for his generosity. “Just come down and visit me. Sit and talk for a bit. I have missed you Kristina. That is my payment.”
My group was to check in, get their rooms and get to the restaurant for a light lunch. An American-style brunch buffet was set out for us with a combination of breads, coldcuts, omelets made to order, and roast beef and turkey breast hof brau style with all the trimmings. While it isn't classic Venetian or Italian fare, it is certainly welcome on this last leg of the trip. And of course, there is enough shrimp to kill you, cheese and fruits, salad and a dessert bar. I did some damage with the shrimp – don't call it a cocktail, I was not shy and helped myself to the equivalent of a small punchbowl.
I told everyone we would be leaving for our walking tour of the Piazza San Marco, the Basilica di San Marco and the Palazzo Ducale in one hour. Freshen up and stuff. Meet in the courtyard outside. I went to visit Giorgio in the bar. I made a quick call to Mamma and told her I would be available after six and I would bring food with me to make dinner. “No no no, io cucino per te, cara! Insistio.” She insists on cooking for us today. I told her to wake her son up and have him cook dinner. “Ma, non voglio una pizza.” No, I don't want a pizza. Ha! She knows that's the usual thing he makes – a trip out for take-away pizza. Too funny.
Giorgio just smiled broadly at me while I was on the phone with Mamma. He asked if she is ok. I don't go into the personal details of Marco's life with other people at the hotel. He strives for privacy, since the hotel is like any other place of business with nosy folks, he keeps things close to the vest. He and Giorgio have a history of not always getting along well, personality differences, and since they are in different departments they don't interact much, and especially not outside of work. I made the mistake once of having both of them and two others over for dinner once and it was a disaster. Just because I get along and am friends with each of them, it doesn't automatically mean they are friends too. But since Giorgio knows the family had rough times last year, he went to the funerals along with a lot of the hotel staff, it isn't too much to say that she has health concerns.
Caught up with Giorgio on the goings on for the past two weeks. I asked about the night of the crazy rampaging drunk who beat up Luigi. He told me the guy had tried to break into the bar after they closed up. There are no doors to the bar, but they have metal enclosures for the liquor walls and the fridges all lock up. He had busted up Luigi and then broke things in the bar trying to access the booze. That was where the police found him, busting things up in the bar in his efforts to get at it. Idiot. The damage to the bar was a shelf full of glasses, a mirror and a chair.
Met the group in the courtyard and then walked over to Piazza San Marco. I talked about the history of the church and the journey of the saint's bones to their resting place here. We went inside for the walk through but I told them the best way to see the church was during a service. It's odd for me to walk in the herd of folks single file. I am much more used to going to Mass, sitting there and being enveloped by my surroundings. I then handed them off at the Palazzo Ducale for a 90 minute tour while I went to the cafe in the bowels of the building and watched the gondolas gliding by. Received a call from Fraucka, my little German friend from school. She and her mother were going to be in Venice on Saturday and Sunday, could we meet up? I told her I was available after 11AM tomorrow until 6PM but Sunday would be a little more difficult with church, laundry and getting ready for the next group. We agreed on Saturday afternoon for me to show them around. Their train gets in at 10:30, they will take the #2 boat to San Marco and I will meet them at the left side of the Basilica where the happy lions are – there will be children climbing all over them – there's no worry they won't find them. Excellent!
Returning to the hotel we stopped short of the entrance at the gondolier station and they piled into five gondole for their appointment with the men in the striped shirts. All part of the tour. They get a caravan of boats, a singer and accordion player and for 50 minutes they have the opportunity to be stared at by passers-by. After they left, the gondola captain joked with me about why I don't go with them. I told him I've been on a gondola before, it doesn't change much. “You were not with the right man if you feel that way.” Yep, I was on a gondola with four other women. “You can be sure you'd remember a ride if I was on it.” Oh gosh, thanks. Smile nicely, move away.
Bleargh.
My peeps were safely returned to me and I was able to leave them for the remainder of the evening. I grabbed my little dessert tray from my room and made my way to Giudecca to have dinner with Mamma and share my goodies. She has more color in her cheeks since I saw her last, and she told me she doesn't mind taking the pills. “Non ti preocupes, non ti preocupes.” Don't worry, don't worry. I told her I would see her for lunch tomorrow and left with Marco when he departed for work at 10:30. I made the joke that we were commuting together but it was lost on him.
I stopped in at the bar to see Aldo and Serena, and was offered drinks from a number of my group who were in there. I declined. Aldo was engaged with my Indiana ladies at the end of the bar who were telling him about me taking them on my personal time not once but twice. He told them I am very kind, but that I spend all of my free time in Venice with the family of a friend, so they would not see me much in the streets. I told them he was lying, I just come to Venice to do my laundry. “Kristina, sei molta cattiva!” Yes I'm naughty.
As I stopped at the front desk to collect my key Marco asked what time I wanted my wake up call... and the pot of coffee sent up in the morning...and my newspaper. “Whenever. Surprise me.” Dork. He knows I don't need wake up service. I have my trusty alarm clock and a huge breakfast buffet awaits me in the restaurant. No need for a private pot of coffee. Ah, I collapsed in the bed. This hotel has the best beds. Truly.
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