Venice, March 2024
Day 1 Tuesday:
What happened on Tues? Everyone rowed but us! Laura and Katie were the last of the CBers to arrive in Venice in the afternoon, but we were still so happy to be back again!
That evening CB and the Settemari met at the Arzanà, the beautiful and very squero (traditional boatyard) and museum for a talk, tour, drinks and cicchetti followed by a tremendous supper at Osteria Fosca.
Day 2 Wednesday:
Sunny – hurrah! Fabulous after the incessant rain in England.
Katie met Pauline and Bernard (from Paris) rowed across the Grand Canal, passing Casa Ballarin (the house that many of us had previously stayed in on multiple occasions. Sad to see through the gate that the garden pond had gone). They carried on to Campo San Giacomo da l’Orio to meet Sue (who, with Richard, was to be on sabbatical in Venice for three months) for a very special drawing session, with coffee and croissants in the sunshine. A truly fun and fabulous morning! Afterwards Pauline, Katie and Bernard rowed to Cannaregio to meet Laura after her Row Venice lesson, then lunch at Ristorante Levante in the sun on the Fondamenta de la Misericordia. Fabulous
We were then off to the cantiere for 2.30pm row. We headed across the lagoon with lots of Settemari members to Sant’Erasmo to drink prosecco and eat nibbles in the sunshine. Magical!
Inevitably there was singing and the feeling of happiness and conviviality was palpable. Some of us found the waves (the moto ondoso that are causing so many problems these days) and the lagoon pretty challenging en route after so many weeks of rowing on a flat lake! But we managed and thankfully it was easier on the way back.
A really memorable outing, followed by a delicious supper for some at Osteria Al Mariner, our favourite Misericordia fish place, whilst others had different plans – there’s always so much going on during these trips!
Thursday: Day 3
A lovely row with the Settemari to Forte Marghera, outside Mestre, for lunch consumed together at a lovely long table; very jolly and the most delicious food, followed by some poppiere practice.
The Forte unfortunately was in the middle of major refurbishment, but still we got a good idea of what it would have been like – a hugely impressive and really interesting site.
That evening was a drinks party at Laura, Katie and John’s apartment (nice and airy
and close to the Teatro Despar supermarket!). Nan and Laura P came too, which was
nice, and then we headed out for another lovely supper. Poor Dek who had been ill
came too, but was still not 100% sadly.
Friday: Day 4
Morning Free time: Laura & Katie ambled to San Marco for shopping and culture, feeling mightily relieved and pleased to be staying in Cannaregio and away from all the crowds. Smug Mode.
Then to the boat house for a 2.30 row to Campalto. This was a straight row there & back – good practice! Some people tried rowing as poppieri on the caorlinas.
That evening we attended the “Red Party” at the Settemari club house, supper and dancing with Settemari with a live band (headed up by one of their members). The visitors gave thanks and gifts to Settemari for all their contributions to our stay. Was it red for Ferrari or red for Winners?! Anyway it was a great theme, interpreted in so many different ways, and we all looked fantastic!
Saturday: Day 5
9am at the cantiere. Much excitement! Katie was lucky to get a spot in the beautiful
ballotina – one of the loveliest Venetian boats, like a grander gondola! But there were lots of other boats too as it was a Special Row.
Drama in the middle of the lagoon, however, as the ballotina hit something hidden beneath the waves (it was a windy day!) and took on lots of water. Laura P (the wood worker) patched it up with a penola and a biscuit paste (obviously!!) but the CB’ers left the sinking ship & were added to the caorlina crews. Bepi, Luisa, Jane and Laura P took the ballotina back to the cantiere whilst the rest of the fleet continued to the fish shack for prosecco and nibbles and Pauline’s
birthday celebrations.
We waited, while the other four heroically caught up with us in a mascareta and sandolo. We headed off down the River Dese (downstream was nice!) for a very rurally placed lunch in a lovely spot. The lunch took place in a wartime USAAF temporary hangar! Wine, prosecco, bread, clams and mussels, pasta with seafood, risotto with seafood, followed by coffee and grappa! Then we ran out of time – so much food(!) We then had to return before the cantiere shut!
Back into the caorlinas for the long push home – armed with king prawns and apfel strudel which we hadn’t had time to eat! Pauline and Nan bravely rowed back to Venice in the mascareta. Got back to tea, prosecco and apfel strudel in the garden of the cantiere. Beers en route home…
Sunday: arrivederci.
Luckily (well done Laura) we left the apartment nice and early and waited patiently at Piazzale Roma for the wrong bus! Ours was a stopper – NB you should take the no. 5 bus from lane 1! Then pizza at 9.30am (a highly recommended breakfast!) and coffee before boarding our plane and off home. As usual people were on different schedules; different flights on different days – some stayed longer and some had already left.
It had been a really wonderful week—we were so lucky as it turned out to be the only week of good weather in Venice that month. A HUGE thanks to Pauline and Alessandra of Settemari. The organisation that goes on behind the scenes to make it such a great trip is considerable, and is much appreciated by everyone.
—Katie and Laura