Having survived the highest acqua alta in living memory we spent a hasty afternoon, after the race, making plans to evacuate early this morning.

Record Aqua Alta

Debbie and Ian, off to Rome on the 9.30am from Venice St Lucia, and the flood expected to return at 9.3oam, elected to do the get up when the first warning siren goes and make a bolt for the vaporeto.

Debbie and Ian bolt for the Vaporetto

Ilze and I on the 12.32pm to Florence went for the, take the bags up to the station the night before and be prepared to wade up just with our overnight things.

Alarm went off about 6.30am and Ian and Debbie ran for it, Ilze and I had  a more leisurely breakfast and then sat by the door, and the WC, ready to bolt at the first sound of lapping.  In the end the need for coffee drove us out before any sign of water and we arrived at the station with an hour and a half to endure.You may have thought I meant “wait”, but the seats at St Lucia station are made of marble. My mother was wrong about many things, you know, wear a singlet, catch your death of cold that sort of stuff, but of the sitting on cold concrete, she was right.  Still there were also the delights of Venetian girls in gumboots.

Can you look this good in gumboots?

The decision to take the later train to Florence so we could enjoy the view proved to be a waste.  Two hours across the plains in rain and mist and then 40mins through tunnels at 240kmh.  Very fast and very comfortable & very dark.

And then Florence, glorious Florence. From our hotel window we can see the Duomo and the Campanile.

Duomo and Campanile from our hotel

Off to bed  to dream of Michaelangelo, Giotto and the Medicis.

Peter