ACWS - Venice Day One - Checked In
Written Sunday, May 13, 2012
Venice, Italy
Written Sunday, May 13, 2012
Venice, Italy
Already it has been an adventure. My departure from SFO was delayed by over two hours, which unfortunately meant that I would most likely miss my connection in Zurich to Venice. After an 11 hour flight to Zurich I ran through the airport as if I was OJ Simpson in a rental car commercial, only to arrive at my Venice departure gate a mere two minutes after the doors had closed. TWO MINUTES! I was re-routed through Munich and then finally made it to the Venice airport. I caught the last water bus from the airport at 11:45 pm for the hour + long boat ride into Venice.
Don't feel too bad for me ... as there I was, the only passenger on the water bus, traveling down the entire Grand Canal in the quiet peacefulness of night. It was a magical trip, with the lights on in the old historical homes, the gondolas put away for the night but still rocking in the choppy water as if they were waving hello, and random couples romantically strolling home along the side of the canal. I was let off at San Marco and after wandering around just a little in a slight drizzle, I found my hotel and was settled in shortly after 1:00 am.
My first morning in Venice I woke to rain, but so it goes. Rain usually brings wind, and that's good for sailing. I had printed out a map of where the America’s Cup Village was located and after breakfast headed out to get myself checked in at the media center. For those of you who have been to Venice know, there really are no street signs and many times you just dead end at a canal and must back track. For an hour I wandered around in the wind and rain trying to find the AC Village to no avail. There were some banners hanging from street lamps, but no signage to let you know where to go (that would appear later in the week).
I found the accreditation office, picked up my badge and settled in at the media center. Sunday's racing, second day of the City of Venice Regatta, had been postponed for a few hours due to weather. Unfortunately I was not able to be on a photo boat as I missed the sign up the day before due to travel. They are putting me on a spectator boat instead. Heck - I'm just excited to be here!
And so the adventure begins.
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