Not quite Aqua Alta in Venice this morning....

Normally when I post something about water in Venice, it's relating to Aqua Alta. Well, this morning I had  Aqua Alta of a different kind,  like I've not experienced before.

When I turned the water faucet on in the kitchen first thing this morning, there was very low water pressure. I thought that was odd, but got enough water to fill up the tea kettle, and went on about my morning routine. After my first cup of tea, I went to the shower. Not only was there low water pressure, there was no hot water at all. A cold shower was not what I really wanted first thing this morning.

I hopped out of that shower quickly, and went down the hall to wake Mike up. He got out of bed to see if he could figure out if there was something wrong with the caldaia (hot water heater). He couldn't find anything unusual, but he did agree with me there was something wrong. I had to get going to an appointment, so I took what my mother used to call an "Indian bath"- wash cloth and water fron the sink - very cold- and very quick. Not exactly how I wanted to start my day!

Off I went, heading towards St. Marks on the vaporetto. I was not  happy with my water situation one bit, but hopeful that whatever was going on in the apartment building with the water would be resolved before the day was over. Just as we arrived at the San Zaccaria vaporetto stop, I noticed something very unusual on the sidewalk just in front of us.  Take a look.....

My fellow vaporetto passengers were all pointing, exclaiming " Guarda  (look), a geyser!"

Sure enough, there was water spouting everywhere from a hole in the street. Police had cordoned off the area and were standing guard to prevent passerby from walking in it. Workers had begun to set up the  the platforms used for actual Aqua Alta days around the outskirts so people could bypass the mess.  Seems a water pipe had burst.  When I saw what was happening, I figured this just might explain why I didn't have hot water or much pressure for my shower.

Later in the day I saw a local newspaper article reporting the break in the pipe caused half of Venice to be without water this morning. Wasn't I lucky it was my half of Venice!

Thankfully my wish was granted, water was restored to normal by mid day. I'm calling it an Aqua Alta day. We're in Venice after all, this was water, and it was spouting pretty high.

A foggy day in Venice

Yesterday morning we set off for Rialto market in search of fish, more precisely sardines, for our Christmas Eve meal. The fog was thick, so thick that all the vaporettos that run up the Giudecca canal were being routed up the Grand Canal. Typical winter though, it's foggy here. Here's what the vaporetto dock at Sant'Elena looked like as we were leaving.

I disembarked at San Zaccaria, with the intention of walking the remainder of the way from St. Mark's up to Rialto.  I had no idea there was a regatta being held yesterday, so  you can imagine how pleasantly surprised I was to discover  several boats queuing up right in front of the San Zaccaria boat dock. Not your usual regatta participants either. All the boats were being rowed by Babbo Natales- and , looking a bit closer , I spotted some ....yes, that's  right, women rowers.  Brava, ragazze!!!
These photos are as good a view as I could get, through all the fog.

As I watched these women maneuvering their boats, I found myself having an Italian language discussion with myself, in my head.  I thought..if one is Babbo Natale, is two or more of them (males) Babbi Natale??  or Babbi Natali??   Is a female then a Babba Natale?? And more than one Babbe Natali??
I found myself completely in the fog... inside and out!!   So I convinced myself to give up. To satisfy myself and end the internal debate, I took it upon myself to call these female rowers "Babette ", and not worry about the plural at this time. Basta.   At least then I could get my head out of the fog.

Hmmm... Rudolfo and friend pulling....a boat, not a sleigh. Only in Venice!

I didn't have time to stick around to catch the entire regatta as I needed to get to the fish market before it closed.  The market was swarming with people, all with the same shopping list I had, evidently- fish for their holiday meals.  I bought crab, oysters and rombo. Unfortunately, not one tiny sardine left in all of Rialto to be had by the time I got there (about 10:30-11 am).

Loaded down with not only fish but a bag full of vegetables, I waited for the vaporetto at Rialto Mercato to return home. Fortunately, most of the fog had burned off.  As I waited for the #1 boat to make it's way down the Grand Canal, some of the Babbo Natale regatta racers were making their way home down the Grand Canal, post race. I had a great vantage point for photos right on the front of the dock.

Wonder if she is the Ice Queen??

As the last rower passed in front of me, I turned to my right, and caught this man also observing the rowers (see photo below) while queued up for the vaporetto.     Santa?????