First sights of Venice -- the ferry from Lido - Monday, 20 Aprile

We felt so fortunate to get to approach Venice for the first time, by water, like this, and from the distance of Lido, versus by bus or train from the mainland. (That would come another day.)

After the ferry from Lido, we made our way from the terminal at Tronchetto to cycle another 20 or so km-- including the trafficky and  long causeway across the lagoon and through Venice Mestre to where  we had arranged to spend the night and to leave our bikes for the two nights we'd be in Venezia's historic sestieres. No bicycles are allowed--at all--in Venice. 

Mixing up our mode of travel - Monday, 20 Aprile

Similar to Washington's San Juan Islands, the Venitian archipelagois made up of a bunch of islands, some of which are reached by ferry. Today our route gave us the chance to connect the dots as we caught a ferry from one island to another other and then cycled to the far end of that island to catch another ferry. Repeat. A couple more times, sort of.

Leaving Chioggia.

Cute Polish girl I met on the ferry.

The island city of Pellestrina.

We cycled the 8k along the island, keeping well ahead of the bus of ferry passengers also making their way to the next ferry. The bus caught up to us just as we got to the ferry landing. 

The next ferry from Pellestrina to the island of Lido.

On to Lido!

We cycled 12km along the long stepretch of the Lido, a pretty, quiet sequence of communitirpesmthat suggested retirement. Again, our timing was great, as we only waited a few moments before our third ferry was ready to depart from Lido for the Tronchetto of Venice.

Goodbye Lido and...

hello Venice!

Chioggia, village on the Adriatic - Sunday, 19 Aprile

A lot of rain fell overnight while we willed our laundry to dry in Porto Tolle, but by sunrise you could not tell there been a storm but for a little damp on the streets, soon to dissipate. Blue skies with a sometime brisk headwind and beautiful scenery made the kilometers click by as we went from the tidal area of the Po to reach the shores of the Adriatic. The picture here is pretty lucky--we were not alone on the beach by any means! No one romping in the shallow surf, but there were hundreds of Sunday strollers and several beach venders that afternoon. I'm just lucky at capturing shots without others besides Alaine.

Last crossing of the Po.

A pretty field of lettuces.

Chioggia was a really nice surprise--quite the treat-- after we got through the lengthy outskirts of town to reach the point where old town and its little islands meet the sea. We were grateful  for the shorter distance and good riding so we could enjoy walking about for a few hours after getting to the campground. Industrial, resort camping, sure, but only a hundred meters from the beach on one side and oldtown on the other, so we were thrilled!

Chioggia a beach town with a fishing backbone-- by boat, but also dipnets from the breakwater.

Hard to imagine how these boats got in and out of this canal, but come morning, it was pretty empty.

Our Ferrara friends suggested we visit a man, Jackie, who evidently offers up simple home cooked meals some evenings-- called "Jackie Tonight"--we didn't stick around for the typically late and lingering Italian dinner, since we wanted to get situated for our involved day of travel to Venice, but Jackie did welcome us into his home and shared a glass of wine.

Jackie is a welcoming character who loves "the world!" 

We rode past his place again in the morning to drop off one of our bookmarks and were lucky to see him again to share a quick morning beverage...to our individual likings...

Italian greetings

Outside of Bassano de Grappa

On the Brente River between Treviso and  Trento -24 Aprile--AB Waterworks... Or something like

On a section of the Po River trail...

Someone must have known I was heading this way as I celebrate my year being the number 

Someone must have known we'd pass under this highway.