Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Tamas must have been reading my mind because last night, during a visit to Bacino Orseolo, I noticed the moon and took a few shots on a long exposure.
The results weren't the best in the world, but one of the photos should suffice for a blog header - at least for a while.

My family and I will be in Venice for one more full day tomorrow (Wednesday), so if you'd like to meet and eat with us,, leave a comment here.

Today was shopping day.
I stopped by many of the businesses that are always on my list when I visit Venezia.
Thankfully I had Nereo and Martina Zane with me most of the time and their advice and translation services were amazingly helpful.

Seeing Gilberto Penzo, Franco Furlanetto, and the folks at Bampa was terrific.

For lunch we all met up at Ristorante da Ivo for some of the best Venetian food I've ever had.
Among the group were Bepi Suste and his wife.
Bepi was our solid bow-man on the Hudson Expedition in 2007.
It was also great to see Nereo's wife Daniela, who joined us there and spent the second half of the day with us.

I'll be home in a few days, and as much as I love it here, there are many things I miss - including my own computer.
Dear friends: I promise to post plenty of photos and stories in the coming months.

Thanks for reading,
Greg

7 comments:

joe gibbons said...

Hi Greg
Looking forward to viewing photos of 2009 Vogalonga. Megan filled me in on lots of the excitement!
The ROW must go on.To reschedule or cancel a Vogalonga is for democrats!!!Easy for me to say, we rowed in 70 degree weather with lots of sun.
I am trying to send you the photos of the 2 gondolas we discovered in Plya Del Carmen, Mexico. Please send me an email address. I keep striking out with greg@gondola.com
I enjoy your blog, keep up the great work
Ciao
Joe Gibbons

Gondola Greg said...

Ciao Joe!
I'll be home in two days, but in the mean time, you can send to elisa@gondola.com

Had some Limoncello the other day and thought of you and Camille.

Ciao amici,
Greg

Ricky said...

I chanced upon to view your blog and found it very interesting. Great ... Keep it up!

Tamas Feher from Hungary said...

> many things I miss - including my own computer <

It is possible to use your own computer remotely, if you leave it turned on at home and have some VPN solution installed to secure the overseas remote desktop connection.

Of course there are security implications and one must have a minimal amount of trust in the netcafe computer not being infected with a keystroke-stealing keylogger trojan and that is NOT a given nowadays.

I've heard a city-wide wireless internet connection system is being installed in Venezia this year, so one could bring his/her own laptop in 2010 and stay connected for free. Of course a mil-spec, waterproof case laptop would be best...

or maybe just forget about computers and wander around the city instead.

Tamas Feher from Hungary said...

> To reschedule or cancel a Vogalonga is for democrats! <

It's not that simple! For example someone broke a rib in the storm, reportedly. Anyhow, if there was a "rainy day" backup plan and the Vogalonga could have been started on the splendid 1st of June instead of rainy Sunday, few would complain.

The declared anti-motorboat demonstation aspect of the Vogalonga was totally lost this year, since many shipwrecked rowers were saved by the very motorboats they came to oppose.

Rowboats dispersed from the beginning of the event, some didn't even wait for the official start, it seems. No show of critical mass power, definitely!

In this regard Vogalonga 2009 was counter-productive from its original activism aspect, no matter how heroic it was to the participants!

If the organizers want 5-6,000 people rowing next year, some solution must be found for the uncertain weather problem! Those whose had their boats broken in half probably lost a small fortune, unless insurance pays.

Nereo Zane said...

Tamas, thank you so much for your lessons on EVERYTHING! I'm feeling much better now.

Tamas Feher from Hungary said...

Mr. Nereo, did the organizers consider delaying Vogalonga two days and start it on June 2nd, 2009? That day was a national holiday in Italy, which probably means little traffic in the lagoon.

I understand such a decision would have excluded rowers like Greg Mohr, who were bound to a tight travel schedule, but safety first, please!

In hungarian there is a saying "While the sea currents flow deep down and the galley floats on the top, the sea still rules."

Is it really unthinkable to heed the sea's advice once in 15 years?