Nice to Venice on a Baboo, Sunday

Panorama of the Grand Canal at Dusk

Grand Canal at Dusk

Sunday was a travel day for us.  We got up early, finished packing and had breakfast in our room in the Hotel Diana.  Randy and Nola arrived at 11:00 for a short drive to the Nice Airport.  We said our goodbyes and rolled our luggage into the airport looking for Baboo Airlines.  That's right, Baboo.  It's a Swiss Air affilliate so I was not worried.  After getting our boarding passes and checking in our luggage, we found the security checkpoint and got in line.  In Europe you don't have to take off your shoes.  After not too much delay we made it through, got our stuff and went looking for the Baboo gate.  This is another airport were you board the aircraft on the tarmac. 

Baboo was 20 minutes late getting the bus around to our gate.  The bus took us out to the aircraft.  This is a twin engine turbo-prop, Dash D-800 with tiny overhead storage compartment.  I planned for this by hand carrying my Nikon D3s around my neck and shoulder and two lenses stuffed in my vest pockets.  I really didn't care when they said my carry-on was too big for the overhead and it went with the checked luggage.  It only had a flash and some filters and my battery chargers.  We got strapped in and the flight took off for Venice.  We flew over the French Riveria (Cote d'Azur).  MA and both had coffee and a snack. 

We arrived Venice right on time.  The airport in Venice is 20 miles from the city and it's a 30 minute bus ride to what is called the Roma Piazzale, where all vehicular traffic ends.  From there you walk or go by boat to get into the city.  The Hotel Abbrazia was a short walk from the bus terminal, however, we had to navigate over a bridge with steps with two large bags and two carry-on bags.  There were several guys who offered to help, but I didn't trust anyone, so we said no.  We finally got the hang it of how to navigate the steps and both of us manage to get up the bridge and down with the four pieces of luggage.  I found it easier to carry the two large ones and MA rolled the two smaller. 

The Hotel Abbazia is very near the Scalzi Bridge, about 2 blocks.  After checking in, we decided to walk to St. Mark's Square.  We just started walking and following the signs to San Marco and finally made it  I felt like a rat in a maze. At one of the squares near the Realto Bridge a group of people were line dancing.  It wasn't the Cotton Eye Joe, so I passed on joining them. MA found a self-service restaurant where we had some dinner and rest.  MA found a delicious baked white fish and I had spagetti.  Both of us were exhausted at this point so we started running the maze back to the hotel in a north-westerly direction.  Some how we arrived at the Scalzi Bridge and our hotel.  Tomorrow is another day.