When I checked my e-mail, we experienced our first major buzz kill. I saw had just received a message from Venezia Lines stating that our ferry to Piran the following day was cancelled due to weather. All of our trip planning had been based around that ferry, and given the brilliant blue skies and 80+ degree temps, it was hard to imagine bad weather. We met Michela, our host, and with her excellent English and “can-do” demeanor, she called Venezia Lines. Based on her conversation with the agent, she explained that the remedy for the cancelled was for us to be at the Ferry terminal 2+ hours prior to our 5:15 departure and that Venezia Lines would organize for us to be transported to Piran via bus. She also stated that there were 8 customers in total so if all arrived on time, there was a chance we could leave early, but no guarantee about what time we would arrive in Piran. And we would not be eligible for a refund if we took alternate transport. In other words, the $200+ Euros we spent to take a ferry across the Adriatic at sunset would effectively be spent on a $50 bus ride, crossing the border at Trieste. Anna, our host in Pirah, who lived in Geneva, had already communicated some great tips in advance of our visit, so we wrote her telling of our dilemma. She quickly responding outlining our options, which were many, but given the short notice, the best one was to take a new bus service, called Flixbus, from Venice Mestre station direct to Piran.

Problem quickly solved, we wandered around Venice, with no destination in mind, only to use go where we felt guided. We ended up in some beautiful squares near our apartment, had yummy gelato at a neighborhood spot and stumbled upon a traghetto stop, where we took a boat ride across the Grand Canal to join the throngs of tourists heading to (or away from) Piazza San Marco. After returning to our quiet neighborhood via the Rialto Bridge, we went to dinner at a local restaurant Michela had recommended. It was an entertaining neighborhood gathering spot, where we witnessed a birthday party for an 11 year old with a dozen girls celebrating. Our waiter was a character, sitting down at our table to chat and take our order, making faces if we asked about an item on the menu he did like. Unfortunately, the food was terrible so we had to get a second round of Gelato at a neighborhood spot offering some creative flavors. I got turmeric and it was delicious.

The next morning, Emily was coming down with a cold, so Mark and I left her to sleep while we walked to the Rialto Market. Our Flexibus was scheduled to leave Venice Mestre at 11:50 so we checked out, got a leisurely breakfast of coffee and an Italian donut at a nearby bakery, got our bags out of storage, caught a local train from San Lucia to Mestre, and got a second breakfast of tea and pastry near the bus station while we waited for our bus. It arrived an hour late to Piran but overall it was an easy and pleasant journey where we saw the glistening Adriatic when we reached neared Trieste.