The family divides.

Breakfast is very crunchy bread/toast topped with Nutella and/or spreadable ricotta cheese ... yummy! Roger wanted the bread and Tracy the Nutella which means we have yogurt and muesli to carry with us on the train to Venice ... change in plans ... we actually ended up eating it before we left ... (Aren’t vacations wonderful!)?
Roma Cabs picked up Tracy, Joyce and Doris at 10am for the Airport (another handsome young Italian man for their driver). Tracy is on British Air at 13:35. She will get Grandma and Doris checked in for their flights with Swiss Air, which leaves at 15:10. Roger and I will simply walk over to the termini stazione at 13:00 and catch our train. Lets hope all goes well. No lets just assume all goes well ...
Things must have gone well as we have had no messages of despair.
The train was very nice and left on the button. there was a mom and daughter in our seats, but we left them there as they were going to Firenze only. They had been on the road over 24 hours as art of a group of 8 from Florida. Seated beside me the young girl was very good, but tended to take up a lot of space for such a small person and talked non stop until she finally passed out for a bit. When they left a family from China joined us. Ken and his wife and daughter had their train from Rome that morning cancelled due to a strike. They had to buy new tickets at a much higher cost and will have to apply later to get their money back for the first set. It was never quite clear why they were boarding in Firenze; I guess they had to take two trains. Also joining across from us were students, Shirley from Houston and Kate from Minnesota. It is almost time for them to return home. They almost got off at the stop on the mainland before Venice...whoops.
The train arrives and I phone Andrea our host. That is 'Andraya' as in Andrea Boticelli, not 'Andreeea'. He has instructed us to take the vaparetto or common water taxis, but I want to walk. Luckily there is a strike and only one is running so I get my wish. We manage to find the Rialto station and follow his directions to the B & B. Like in Rome we are on the third floor in number 9. How cool is that.
This is his home and it is just like the photos.... beautiful. He is a teacher in his other life and is very helpful to suggest what sites to see and suggests a dinner location when asked. We clean up and begin our travels. No cars, no vespas, no trams, just people and boats. We find Rosa Rossa and are seated inside where there is air conditioning...sort of. While I am not up to a traditional Italian meal with all the courses we start with a litre of house wine and a selection of bread and a plate of cold meat and olives. Roger is still craving meat. We follow his up with our first plate. Roger has the chefs recommended Salmon Lasagna and I opt for a pizza with vegetables and feta. They are both really good! Roger ate his then half my pizza. Time for dessert, Tiramisu for Roger and Chocolate Gelato for me that has a creamy surprise in the middle.
At this point I make Roger take a photo of Johnny Depp's jacket that he presented the restaurant when he was there filming 'The Tourist'. This movie is a must see. This instigates a conversation with the couple at the next table. They are from Philly, and she has been teaching here in the field of law. Her office sent her over. Not a bad deal! We chat until the wine is finito and then some before we wander out again. We find St. Marco's square and enjoy the nightlife as we cruise the warren of streets. They are sparser, but there are still the hawkers of handbags, toxic jelly toys and illuminated flying 'things'. The restaurants spill out into the square and string quartets entertain with pizzazz. Workers are setting up the square for a concert tomorrow night featuring Sting and an Orchestra.
Trying to find our way home is a challenge so we finally manage to make our way to the rialto bridge and from there we are able to find our home for the night.