Feest Isolation Days – 27 May
Let’s play the where were you heading this time last year game! For the past few weeks – (I can hear the editor saying – since when has ten weeks been “a few”?!) I have thought that I would love to return to Venice. Without all the thousands of tourists and the waters in the canal a shade of blue not witnessed for centuries – if ever, those Venetians have always been active traders. These days there are no cruise ships plying the waters, no tourist boats and not many vaporreti churning up the mud at the bottom of the lagoon, enabling the water to remain clear. It was said that porpoises were swimming in the canals. Sadly, I’ve now seen from various sources that this information was untrue. There were no porpoises. Why would someone photoshop them and say there were? Boredom?
This time last year (which seems like ten years ago somehow!) we were getting ready for our planned trip to Venice. We were meeting our darling kiwi friends and sharing a flat for a few days with them before they headed off on the rest of their bi-annual European adventure. We would then take the train to Desenzano and hire a car for a few days on Lake Garda. The biennale Arts Festival in Venice coincided with their, and our, trip (no accident!). Also, a writer friend was having her novel’s Italian book launch which we didn’t want to miss, as our timing for her event was perfect.
Our bags were packed and waiting in the hall. We were nearly ready to drive ourselves to the airport when Terry thought he’d charge up the central heating water pressure just before we left, as it had been a bit erratic. As soon as he did, water began pouring out of the pipe leading to the boiler and we were not going anywhere until it stopped and was secured.
It was late on a Saturday afternoon and the plumbers I found on line and managed to contact by phone were all unavailable. A friend came by to see if he might be able to help. Terry managed to turn the water off and to stop the gushing pipe. A screw had lost its thread. While Terry dealt with the water, I headed upstairs to my study to see if we could book an Easy Jet flight for the following day. We could. It didn’t seem sensible that we both stayed behind, so I suggested Terry go and I would fly out the following day. There was no way I could manage lugging our bags on and off the vaporetto, and getting in from the airport wasn’t going to be easy either. The flight was a reasonable price and there was still a seat available.
Our emergency call out service would send round a plumber! However, the first person I spoke to at the service said our boiler wasn’t covered under the plan. I explained that it wasn’t the boiler but a pipe leading to the boiler. He wasn’t convinced. Meantime, he told me I could take out a policy or extend the policy we had and it would only cost me upwards of five hundred pounds. Terry, as policy holder, would need to speak to him to authorise the change. He couldn’t do that as I explained to the gentleman on the phone, as by now he was at the airport garaging the car. My service advisor was clearly a no can do man. I put the phone down and tried to contact Terry. My annoyance was rising, but at least the water level wasn’t. I phoned back the service and this time round a lovely helpful woman was on the other end of the phone. I didn’t bat an eye when she assumed I was Terry. When I explained it wasn’t the boiler but a pipe leading to the boiler she believed me. The young helpful plumber she sent within the hour had it sorted in about fifteen minutes. Before my husband landed in Venice, the pipe was fixed, and cost us very little.
The next day, Terry met me off the Vaporretto in Venice. Our kiwi friends had dinner waiting. The biennale was a total delight.
Fortunately, we didn’t miss the Italian Book Launch either! Julia Grigg’s debut novel, “The Eyes That Look” is set in Venice and tells the secret story of the artist Bassano’s painting of hunting dogs. (it’s available on Amazon).
The biennale is held again this time next year. I wonder if we will all be able to safely visit by then? It’s high on my list of things to do post pandemic! Where were you heading this time last year?
With love,
Kathy x