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Count me in for the festivities in Venice!
I haven't posted to the thread yet because I needed to find a hotel within my limited budget. Got a great deal on plane tickets a couple of weeks ago on US and BA (via Gatwick) and am now good to go! I'm arriving in VCE tomorrow (Thursday the 18th) on BA2584 at 16:45, and returning on the 23rd on BA2585 at 17:30. I just finalized my reservation at the Hotel Locanda Gaffaro, on Corte Del Gallo - Dorsoduro 3589 in the San Polo area. Not the greatest location but it seems more convenient than something on Lido...and for 75 euros a night, including breakfast, the price is right for a 2 1/2 star. And as prizes I'll be bringing two (2) miniature busts of Thomas Jefferson, the founder of my alma mater the University of Virginia. Can't wait to meet everyone! Dovster, YGM. -wahooflyer |
ATM tips
Some ATM tips for Venice:
For those of you who have checking accounts with Bank of America, you can use Deutsche Bank ATMs, of which there are a few scattered around Venice, with no fee. I know B of A's fee was $3 for non-partner ATM withdrawals outside the US, but it's going up to $5 sometime soon. So for B of A customers, it'll pay to use Deutsche Bank if at all possible. I have a B of A account, but for convenience I've transferred all my spending money for VCE into a PayPal account with a linked debit card. If you happen to have a PayPal debit card (free but it takes several weeks to mail) all withdrawals, domestic or international, cost only $1.00. The debit card is a MasterCard and operates on the Cirrus network. Traveler's checks and cash advances from credit cards seem to be the most expensive ways to obtain euros because of all the associated fees. And keep in mind that most Visa and MasterCard issuers in the U.S. charge an extra 2% currency conversion fee for purchases in addition to V/MC's 1% surcharge. Capital One and MBNA are the only major U.S. issuers not to charge the 2%, so if you have a card from either bank bring it to Venice to save a little on the currency charge. |
Wahooflyer, it is great to have you with us!
Of course, it would have been even more fun if you had made the announcement before O2K had found a larger restaurant. We would have arrived tomorrow to find her sitting on the edge of the Grand Canal muttering arcane curses in the Veneto dialect! The first posts have been updated to reflect your attendance and that of the two prizes. I was actually surprised to learn that Thomas Jefferson had two busts -- then I realized that one obviously belonged to his wife and the other to Sally Hemings. Still, it is surprising that he preferred women with miniature busts. Platbrownguy, are you sure you want me to have that same conversation with PlatbrowngalQ? Remember, in the last case the 19-year-old girl wound up going home with me! |
Platbrowndude
Originally Posted by platbrownguy
Is is just me, or is this "scale" just a bit skewed? :mad:
Unfortunately for you, Dovster, Platbrowngal4Q was forced to cancel her trip by Platbrowngal4QMom and Platbrowngal4QDad, who threatened to cut her off :eek:. Of course, Platbrowngal and Platbrowndude will still be coming. Platbrowndude will be staying at the Boscolo Dei Dogi. Has anyone stayed there before? Any comments? Is it far from the Ai Mori? As far as Euros are concerned, I don't see any need for having them before getting to the airport... I've never been in a European airport that didn't have a Plus- or Cirrus-linked ATM, and you get almost the exact bank rate (although with a $3 fee from my bank). Regarding the restaurant: O2K, you rock ^. I'm getting excited :). See everyone in Venice! |
A Testiere
[QUOTE=monitor]
Originally Posted by NickW
:)...I managed to leave my wallet in the wrong coat when I flew out to Milan on Sunday./QUOTE]
When I read this post I needed to do a double-take, because it looked exactly like the kind of baloney that continually comes from the Dovster. If it didn't clearly say NickW, we certainly would have immediately fixed on the poster. Please everybody, don't let my previous post alter the conception that everybdy here has about the Dovster's pecuniary habits. We actually are guessing that he picked up the check in the hamburger place in anticipation of maybe my getting even in a place in Venice that might certainly have a more substantial tag. Maybe he has just about given up on trying to mooch off Cholula and is looking for some new marks. He does have a reputation to uphold and certainly added to it last week by staying at the only hotel in South Florida with a telephone system that was too weak to support his modem, but it was very cheap. I'm not sure if he posted that the desk clerk was truly astounded that this place would actually attract a return guest, because nobody who had ever stayed there before had ever came back a second time. Also, I paid what I thought was the ridiculous rate of 1.3396 the other day for my Euros, and now it doesn't look that bad anymore. |
Originally Posted by wahooflyer
Some ATM tips for Venice:
For those of you who have checking accounts with Bank of America, you can use Deutsche Bank ATMs, of which there are a few scattered around Venice, with no fee. I know B of A's fee was $3 for non-partner ATM withdrawals outside the US, but it's going up to $5 sometime soon. So for B of A customers, it'll pay to use Deutsche Bank if at all possible. I have a B of A account, but for convenience I've transferred all my spending money for VCE into a PayPal account with a linked debit card. If you happen to have a PayPal debit card (free but it takes several weeks to mail) all withdrawals, domestic or international, cost only $1.00. The debit card is a MasterCard and operates on the Cirrus network. Traveler's checks and cash advances from credit cards seem to be the most expensive ways to obtain euros because of all the associated fees. And keep in mind that most Visa and MasterCard issuers in the U.S. charge an extra 2% currency conversion fee for purchases in addition to V/MC's 1% surcharge. Capital One and MBNA are the only major U.S. issuers not to charge the 2%, so if you have a card from either bank bring it to Venice to save a little on the currency charge. Easy, free access to your accounts in over 20 countries at more than 25,000 Bank of America, Barclays, BNP Paribas, Deutsche Bank, Scotia Bank and Westpac ATMs worldwide. And one more thing: I will be bringing seven exotic treasures from China to give away in the drawing. Well, OK, perhaps "exotic treasures" is a bit of hyperbole, but these things ARE from China! ;) |
Kathy, your exotic Chinese treasures have just been added to the list -- and thank you.
For those of you not staying at the Ai Mori, if you need assistance in finding the Meet or getting together with the group at any time, try calling me at the Ai Mori -- my full name is Dov Ben-Galil. If I am not there, ask to speak with any other member of the FlyerTalk group. Hopefully, the desk clerk will know who some of us are. |
How long are you going to remember this meet?
Of course, if you are Cholula you will get so bombed on grappa that the entire trip will be wiped away but for the rest of us it is apt to remain a bit longer. And for four lucky FlyerTalkers, it will stay in their minds for a full year -- and also on their walls. While I wandering through a street bazaar in Milan today, I spotted cloth Christmas calendars for 2005. I figured that calendars in Italian would be a good addition to our prize list and picked up four of them. I also tried to pick up the saleswoman but had considerably less luck. :( |
By the way, I have the blank compact discs and their slim jewel cases with me.
I already had to switch my car out here in Cyprus because the darn thing kept stalling. That is not good when driving on the equivalent of European streets in a manual transmission vehicle whilst driving on the left side of the road. The Hilton Park Nicosia checked me in right after I logged out of FlyerTalk, hours before check-in time. I also received an extra free breakfast. I now highly recommend this hotel, as they did not have to do all of this, all on a one-night award stay. It has been sunny and thunderstorms all day here. Between the weather and the car, I have been unable to do much here thus far (like the rhyme, even though I am tired?). I think I will venture across the Green Line tomorrow and rack up another territory (as the northern portion of Cyprus is not officially recognised as an independent country by any other country except for Turkey), as I found the open gate where I can venture across. Wait a minute... ...this is the Venice thread, not the Cyprus thread. My apologies... |
Folks, will that walking tour on Saturday afternoon still take place? If so: where and when do we meet for that?
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Ralf, no definite time was set for it. I figured that we would see what kind of condition we are in after the bar on Friday night.
Let's do this: We will plan on stopping at your hotel around 12 noon. I don't know right now if that will be towards the beginning of the walking tour, in the middle, or near the end. Is that okay with you? |
Seems I posted this twice in my haste to get ready to leave in 4.5 hours!
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Wahoo Flyer , you have a PM. Welcome to the group!
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Originally Posted by Canarsie
I also received an extra free breakfast.
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Originally Posted by ralfkrippner
Folks, will that walking tour on Saturday afternoon still take place? If so: where and when do we meet for that?
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