Ah yes, the lake district, where the epicentre of the earthquake was... (OK, Lake Lugano, Lake Garda, hey, what's a lake between friends?)

Well, if we know anybody who could organise an earthquake... ;)

I'm back in the UK, very full from a lovely Thanksgiving dinner - did you know you can even get collard greens in London?

Thanks to O2K and Dovster for a wonderful do. It was great to meet so many decent people. It was my first ever trip to Italy & I'll be sure to be back.

So no-one minded this one from link above? ;)

http://www.punki.photosite.com/~phot...1268848000.jpg

Sounds like a great weekend .. sorry I was slumming it around Vancouver and Victoria and SEA. :(

Are you kidding Ozstamps. That is a picture of a perfect pate. :D :D How could anyone object.

Sorry you didn't show. Venice was a truly great choice. Perfect hotel, pefect location, weather not to be believed, and amazing food and folks. A fabulous memory for us.

please mail all such photos to [email protected]

I am a fond collector of such pictures and use them (against Punki et al), threatening people to publish them if they do not treat me the best they can, when I will visit them next time ...

If this is the picture to which Indufan was referring, http://www.punki.photosite.com/venic...ttipalace.html
it was taken at the patio bar of the Gritti Palace and the church in the background is Santa Maria della Salute (Saint Mary of Good Health). This is the church that was built in the 14th century to celebrate the end of the bubonic plague epidemic on November 21, 1336 (they thought it was a Saint that did it, we sort of thought that it was the cold weather).

Little did we know when we set out to observe a mass at any large church that the Fiesta de Salute was on that Sunday and just by chance, Salute was the church that we chose. The hymns being sung were moving and the exit route was through a warren of streets filled with stands reminiscent of San Gennaro in New York's Little Italy.

We ran into Dovster and Bianca near one of the stands that sold the fried dough things covered with sugar and noticed that the Dovster was munching away on one, busy putting on the 5 lbs. that is being discussed elsewhere on this thread. Bianca had a bag of chestnuts that apparently had filled her up already and gave the bag to us as we left their company. Aftewards, we crossed the temporary bridge over the Grand Canal that is set up annually for Salute and hit the bar at the Gritti.

Dov-Pate
 

That must have been the Dov pate....well formed, great to rub for good luck....
No further comments needed, per piacere................. :D

No e vero in Vero. I think that it belongs to another of the group that shall remain nameless because he's already in a whole lot of deep do-do for failing to completely empty the closets and the drawers.

Another hurricane battered brain/soul, right? :D

Hair we go again.

Let’s just remain ahead of the game and not scalp one of our beloved (?) FlyerTalk members simply because his follicles and foibles are recounted here in this thread. We certainly do not want Bianca to wig out at the fact that FlyerTalk members in this thread are poking fun at the only smooth aspect of the Dovster, so let’s just brush the whole matter aside...I believe it is a sham to poo on anyone’s parade.

By the way, I did not mean to leave you stranded, monitor...

Let us now repeat all together, Canarsie did not leave us stranded and we all still love him as much as ever, altho few of us will be ready to ask him for directions when more than a block or two from his own house.

By the way, can somebody please remind me as to when this Venice Meet begins?

I don’t want to miss it...

Prosecco & packing
 

I think Leonard was so busy stuffing the souvenirs for his grandchildren in the suitcases that he just neglected a drawer full of my clothes. I am perfectly content to blame the whole thing on him.

Although, I think Monitor should share in the blame, as he kept encouraging me to stay and enjoy Gianni's farewell gift of wine. I can assure you it was a lot more fun being with F.T.ers in the Ai Mori bar than packing, and I am sure Air France would have lost my luggage, anyway.

All our flights went smoothly, and we couldn't have asked for a better trip. I still have a mental picture of o2k , or Mother Superior, as I named her for this trip, waving a final goodbye from her window, as Monitor, Franny, Kathy Wdrf, Leonard and I departed in the water taxi. Wouldn't you have thought she would have done a final check of all the drawers in our room? What kind of a friend is she anyway? ;)

Seriously, o2k and Dr. o2k took us for a Bellini at Harry's Bar, and I have never had such a delicious drink in my life. That was followed by a walk to Piazza San Marco, where she led me with my eyes closed, only to open them to a teary eyed view of that beautiful church shining in the Venetian sunshine. Thanks, dear friend, for a lasting & cherished memory.

Unfortunately, our Veronese tour guide, Dovsterino managed to arrange that all the shops would be closed as we walked on our guided tour. Franny and I will just have to go to Woodbuy Commons to make up for it! Dov did try to placate us with gifts, and we will be grateful every month of 2005.

Thanks for a fantastic Do!
 

Let me add my thanks for a truly outstanding week!!! :)

obscure2k's choice of hotel and eating spots were fantastically good and excellent value for money -- no small feat in a pricey town like Venice! I ate wonderful meals with the group (or a subset thereof) twice at Bea Vita, twice at Quaranta Ladroni, and once at Al Piron.

And everyone who participated is due thanks for their unique, inimitable contributions! For example, thanks to dorlee's scarf-tying demonstrations, I expect I will be using some of the dozens of rarely-worn scarves in my closet, not to mention a few rarely-worn rings!

Photos and more details to follow....but please have patience on the photos front, as I'm scheduled to fly out again in just a few days and don't know if I'll have time to upload and edit the photos by then!

Well, Mrs. Cholula and my feelings are hurt...:(.
I don't recall O2K fondly waving goodbye as WE departed the Ai Mori via water taxi.
The fact that we departed at 4:15 AM is simply no excuse for her behavior....