Rialto Bridge

Rialto Bridge in Venice.

This was the last day of our cruise.  There was time to explore a little of Venice before we needed to be at the airport for the flight back to Gatwick.

The challenge is that Venice is not designed for wheelchairs, and we could hardly leave our father, who had just reached his 90th birthday, sat waiting with the luggage at the cruise terminal.  A further challenge, unknown to us at that time was that George Clooney had chosen this day in this city to get married, and it was thronging with even more people than usual.

We caught the Vaporetto to Rialto, narrowly averting disaster as Dad was projected forwards out of the wheelchair when its front wheels dropped the 9 inch difference in height between jetty and boat.  The quick-acting ticket collector caught him before he hit the deck.  Dad was quite unruffled by the experience, as he was by all the mishaps and minor disasters on the trip.

Rialto was the chosen destination of my sister who was on a retail mission.  While she and most of the rest of the party disappeared into the crowds on the bridge, Dad, Ray and I were left to our own devices next to the Vaporetto stop.  We headed to the nearest bar, and sat drinking the most expensive beer I have ever bought, eating pizza, and watching the colourful crowds.  Meanwhile, Dad started reminiscing about a trip to Venice he had with an airline stewardess perhaps 60 years ago.  I can say that without doubt the half an hour we spent there, drinking beer, talking and laughing was one of the most relaxing and enjoyable experiences of the whole holiday. 

The youngest members of the party very nearly didn't make it back to the cruise terminal in time for the last bus to the airport.  The flight home was a bit of an ordeal for the Old Flyer.  Wifie and I waited with him when everyone else disembarked, and the Captain and First Officer of the British Airways plane came to pay their respects to their long-retired colleague.  That perked him up.

At Gatwick, we said our farewells and went our separate ways.  Wifie and I set off on the long drive home keen to see Gus.