Venice

Dave again...

Venice. The jumping off point for Columbus and George Clooney.  It is all at once beautiful and maddening. Crowded but somehow charming.

We took a water taxi from the mainland near the airport, and it took us almost directly to our hotel. We have been wondering around fighting the temptation to buy tourist stuff. But found a nice little café on a side street where it is quiet and we can sip wine and relax. it's nice not to have a tight schedule, have to follow turn by turn directions, and pedal up lots of hills.

More later...

d

End of the Road

Dave the Don here.  

Well, we're done with the hard work.  Now there is no excuse for eating vast quantities of wonderful food.  

Has a nice goodbye dinner with our leaders last night.  VBT hires the nicest leaders.

Big street fair in Bossano last night.  We found a cafe on the edge of the craziness and read over espressos.  

Today we are off to Venice for a few days sans bicycling. We will miss our 19 new friends!

Over and out.

d.

Sunday Oct 5, Last Day of Biking

Another beautiful day! A little chillier but felt great. We started with a bus trip up the valley from the charming little town of Bassano where we are staying. 

Deb decided to take the day off from biking and explore the town. I was mightily tempted to do that too because Bassano is so beautiful. 

But it turned out to be one of the most scenic rides of the week! 

View from the Bus. 

Consulting after a wrong turn. Actually

it was mostly easy directions today. Almost always just following the well marked bike path. 

One of many amazing views along the way. 

Dave stopped to take some video. 

At one of the trickiest turns our guide Luca was waiting to point the way. He was the van driver today and Valeria was bringing up the rear on her bike. 

At mile 30 or so we came to a Bici Grill where we stopped for lunch. There are many of these along the bike path just for bikers!

We had enormous salads. 

Some people rode another 25 miles. We decided to take the train which was offered as an option as the most scenic riding was over. 

Waiting for the train. 

45 minute train ride back to Bassano. 

After a shower we decided to walk around town. Dave wanted to find a quiet place to have a coffee and read his twin engine text book, but we got stuck in the middle of a huge crowd because the town was having a fair. 

It took us a while to make our way out of it. We did sit for a while at a Cafe. But are now back in the room waiting to meet the group at 7:45pm for our farewell dinner. 

Tomorrow morning a bus and water taxi take us into Venice. Only an hour from here. 

Saturday October 4

This was a transfer day. We had to have our packed luggage outside our door by 8 am. 

Stopped im a small town for espressos so we could use the facillities which was the hole in the floor type! Really tough on the quads for those of us of the female persuasion:-)

We rode about 35 miles across the valley to the little castle town of Marostica. 

Lunch on the chess board square of Marostica. 

Dave is connected at almost every stop. Here we are wating for lunch. I had another Spritz Apero which I am becoming very fond of!

I had grilled cheese with grilled vegetables. Dave had a great salad and caffe doppio Americano. 

A selfie on the castle square after lunch. 

Our destination for the night was picturesque Bassano del Grappa. 

In the background you can see the old wooden Ponte Vecchio. 

The view in the other direction. 

We left our bikes and walked into the old town to find our centrally located hotel. Dave found a free wiFi connection on the way :-)

Passed some musicians playing on the bridge. 

We started to take a selfie and a old man stepped up and offered to take the photo.

Walking to dinner from our hotel, a whole long row of trees have memorial photos with the same date. 

Dave and Barbara had made reservations for 6 at a restaurant recommended by Valeria. They invited Bob and Deb and us to join them. Ate way too much!!!

Friday Oct 3

The day started with an illustrated lecture on how to order coffee in Italy in all its various shapes and sizes. We learned that if you order any of the varieties with milk after noon, it marks you as an American. 

Part of the amazing breakfast spread!

This was a "loop" day. And a shorter bike ride because there was a tour of Vincenza acheduled for the afternoon. The famous architect Paladio designed many of the buildings in the area. He influenced the design of Jefferson's Montecello as well as the White House. 

One of the many Villas designed by

Palladio. 

We ate lunch at a Bistro on one of the large Piazzas in Vicenza. Deb and I had the very typical Italian Spritz Apero. Such a great color!

We shared a salad niceoise and a buffalo mozzarela caprese!

After lunch we met our guide Giovana at the Teatro Olympico, last building designed by Palladio, but finished after he died. It was built over a much more ancient theatre. 

Giovana

A falconer was flying his bird in the theatre courtyard. 

Theatre courtyard. 

View pf the stage from the amphitheatre semi circle.

 The stage consists of  7 "streets" all illusions of great depth and different ones visible from different seats. 

More walking around town learning about architecture. 

We took a bus back to the hotel. I swam 20 laps in the big pool! So cold getting in! But really refreshing!

A bus took us to an Agriturismo (farm). Where the delightful chef Amadeo gave us a cooking lesson before dinner. 

First he showed us how to

Make beautiful "presentation" of the antipasto. A cheese ball with greens and roasted peppers. 

Bob and Deb in their aprons. 

We learned how to make gnocci! So easy and delicious. Hope to try it at home. 

Pinching and striping the gnocci. Fork works as well as the little wood board. 

Desert was stewed apples in pastry..

So tired! Late nignt bus ride home to

Villa Michelangelo.