Last night we arrived at the Arena expecting to hear Orchestra Italiano del Cinema playing music from the cinema . While we awaited the start of the concert, we were treated to a tourist video promoting Azerbaijan. The concert commenced 15 mins late even though rain was threatening.
When it finally commenced we were treated to 30 mins of what appeared to me to be the Italians wooing the Azerbyjjanies or possibly a matter of mutual admiration
Finally, with the rain pouring down, and umbrellas up, we were treated to Azerbyjani music played by the promised orchestra - not bad but not cinema music as I know it. After an hour, the rain ceased and the orchestra played a beautiful medley of film music including Dr Zhivago, ET, La Dolce Vita, Lawrence of Arabia, Titanic to name but a few.
At this stage,I noted that I was sitting on a metal seat and that the cushion, I had hired was no longer on the seat. I swear that I never left the seat. When I mentioned it to John, he discovered his was gone too. The only conclusion we could come to was that they were literally taken from under us through a gap in the back of the seats!!!! With no cushions and the orchestra reverting to Aberbyjani music, we left.
As I said to John, how are we going to survive in Eastern Europe, if we can't keep cushions under our bums in the west ??? In case your thinking.....we looked all round and they were nowhere to be seen.
This morning we met the Danish couple who were staying in our B&B. They too had been at the concert but left earlier than us because of the rain and missed the medley. I didn't ask them about their cushions! By the way, for all you train anoracks reading this blog, the Danish gentleman worked in IT in DSB.
We departed for Venice at 09.21. Leaving Verona, we are now back on our chosen Orient Express route ( check map - you've got to earn this blog).
If it's Saturday, it must be Venice because two trains departed Verona for Venice within 8 minutes of one another and they were both packed to capacity.
Arriving in Venice, Porta Nova after a journey of 1hr 15 mins, we commenced looking for the hotel. It was reputed to be 7 minutes walk from the station!! We were directed this way and that up ponta this and down ponta until we FINALLY found it 2 1/2 hrs later. It was nearly an Aghata Christe sequel - Murder OFF The Orient Express!
It is a beautiful Casa, right on the Canal, which we can see from our suite.
We lunched nearby which revived our flagging spirits and set off on a vaporetta for Piazza San Marco.
There we further revived ourselves at the famous Cafe Florian on the Piazza while listening to an orchestra play (not Aberbyjani music I hasten to add).
From there to Rialto Bridge. ( I know I had you all dusting off your school copies of Romeo and Juliet on reading my Verona blog and tonight a copy of The Merchant of Venice should provide some light reading - what Shakespeare did for the Italian tourist industry, wouldn't the Irish Tourist Board love to claim him?
We're resting now prior to dinner.
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