A very good, honest report.

I do hope you have that talk with Mr Gary Hill! We were annoyed by the noise as well!

As disgusting as your canal mishap probably was, what a great story you have now! Katherine Hepburn's fall is the most memorable scene out of Summertime. Now your report will probably become referred to as "the one where the guy fell into the canal!"

Another Bernini fan, as well as a Miles fan (my son!!)

Thank you all for such kind kind words. I'm glad you are enjoying my report and some even finding it helpful for future plans. This board was so vital for my planning this trip, I can't even tell you.

As to possible infections from my canal trip - I immediately threw away the clothes I was wearing, including and especially my sneakers. I just had a sense that wearing these things again might open me up to infection.

Myles

First of all, Congratulations! for NOT listening to all those "experts" who undoubtedly told you that you are "trying to do too much" on your trip and now here you are and none the worse for wear, too!!!

I am just sitting here comparing your report and your experiences to the ones currently being generalized about on another trip report.

You have to tell it like you see it. Oh, admittedly, you may not have the little opera claque telling you how wonderful you are gushing on and on....but reporting it as you found it rather than what you think others want to hear is ultimately more enjoyable and useful to others, even if they end up disagreeing with you.

Thanks again...I know, from experience, how hard these reports can be to write.

Wonderful trip report. Thanks for all the information. We were in Venice 2 weeks ago and did stay at the Pensione Accadamia and it was wonderful. I tried making the reservations in March but couldn't get in until I resigned to pay their costs for the only room available. It was on the first floor, one of our windows opened onto a small canal and the other 2 overlooked the front garden. There were only 2 of us but the spacious room also had an adjoing small bedroom tiny is a better word that we were not aware of. No wonder the fee. But, it was worth it. The staff at the desk was wonderfully friendly and helpful and the breakfast had everything you could want. Our room was large and beautiful and elegant. I just figured this may be my only trip to Venice so I was ok with the money. It turned out to be a very good decison. Now, I can't wait to go back. Book early!

Thank you for the terrific report. Your frankness is refreshing. Often, any adverse reactions are edited out of trip reports, whereas I find them extremely helpful. I appreciate you taking the time to post such thoughtful reflections on your trip.

p.s. I admire your ability to travel with such a large number of family members.

Intrepid -
If you can believe it...this was a slow trip for me. But I had to calm down because my wife is in her first trimester and the doctor warned me!!

As to criticisms...so far every one has been so kind. And I'm a filmmaker in Hollywood so this is a delightful response given what I normally get in a day.

Quinn1
I would be interested to find out how much you spent on a room. Actually, I think it would be good for other Fodorites mainly because this Pensione Accadamia is so beautiful and the rooms seemed rather large compared to other rooms I saw in Venice. So we should turn people on to this place!!

The reason I'm curious about the price is because we stayed at a hotel that was not as nice, Hotel Anastasia, but was right around the corner from St. Marks. My brother was paying for everything, so I don't know how much Anastasia was a night. But he did say this was cheaper adn he was kicking himself.

Also, when Pensione Accadamia quoted their price, and I think it was something like $180 Euros a night, (but I really could be way wrong so don't read this and think you got taken by the hotel!!!) I do remember telling my brother that this was cheaper than what we paid for our hotel room in Rome, which was $190 and that's with a special deal we got, and the hotel wasn't even in the center of Rome.

So this would be interesting.

Chicago Heather -

Re: your admiration for my fortitude in travelling with family members

To quote Claus Van Bulow when his lawyer told him he was strange in the movie "Reversal of Fortune"..."You have no idea."

I was exhausted by noon just defending and justifying every decision and suggestion I made as to where to go and what time to go there. Hopefully I didn't take it out on any Italians, although my wife said I did a couple of times. I was trying so hard not to be the Ugly American. It's just that family can make you so ugly!!

Myles

What a fun report to read! I too like reading about the so-so experiences. Makes it all seem real since I know at least with our family, when we travel things definitely do not always go as planned.

The falling to the canal story had me laughing so hard I was crying! Probably because I am a klutz and could see myself doing something similar.

So true that family can make you ugly:) I need to remember that line!

mms -

I was looking at the gondolas to book a ride for me and my wife.

So I'm not a klutz. I'm a romantic!

Myles

Oh mylesaway, just read your complete trip report and have so enjoyed it. I should e=mail it to my step son who took teens up to a family member in his late 80's to Europe, mostly Italy a couple of years ago. He would so relate to your experiences. I love reports where the bad is included, because all trips have them whether we want to admit it or not.

I never fell into a canal in Venice but sure did in the Delta in California, and oh "ick" doesn't even begin to describe it, so I can relate. Thanks for sharing your trip, how about making a movie of it? Best wishes.

hi myles,
enjoyed your trip report thoroughly. No I don't agree completely but I enjoyed your POV anyway.

Another Bernini fan here.
The Bernini statue you enjoyed so much in the Borghese Gallery is called the "Rape of Persephone". The man is Hades, the king of the underworld, and Persephone is the goddess of 'Spring', the daughter of Zeus and Demeter (the goddess of Harvest). The story goes that Persephone lives in the underworld with her husband for 1/2 the year (winter) and up on earth for the other 1/2 (spring thru fall).
I'm not sure you wanted all that detail, but I find that knowing the story makes a sculpture more interesting to me. Of course it holds up beautifully even without a story.

Thank you for a wonderful and informative report. You have quite a knack for the narrative. I was hysterical reading about the fiasco outside the Luigi dei Francesi church.

Kathy

Kathy -

I never saw so many French people supporting an American. It was heartwarming in a way.

Ssachida -

I'm embarrassed to say that I am a mythology buff. I know the Persephone myth. I just didn't connect it to that statue. I knew it beforehand from the guidebooks and artbooks I read. But when I walked up to the statue, I was just so amazed at the genius of Bernini. I just walked around it and stared at the fingers in the flesh effect on the marble for over 5 minutes. That's what I walked away with in my mind, and totally forgot what the whole thing was about! Thanks.

LoveItaly -

Now you bring up something near and dear to my heart. Making a movie about traveling. I am currently pitching several trip projects around Hollywood. Two for TV and one for the movies. It is very very hard to sell one of these things. I can't believe it. I would think a lot of people are interested in it. But get this, the resistance I meet with, even with the "Travel" channel has been that most Americans don't travel to Europe. A very small minority does, and the TV viewing audience won't be interested in it.

Can you believe that? But I'll keep fighting.

Myles

Miles, did you make <u>20 Dates?</u>

Indeed, Myles, do tell, amidst all the craziness you went through on those dates, you apparently met your wife during that time?

And what happened with the lawsuits that were filed by those women who were unhappy to see themselves portrayed rather um, unflatteringly? (smile)

Myles,

Regarding people not interested in a movie about European travel: how do these Hollywood types explain the success of the movie &quot;Under the Tuscan Sun&quot;? Granted, there was a story beyond the travel aspect, but it was quite successful, no?

I think a movie about an American guy who starts a rally with a mob of French tourists in front of a church and falls into a Venetian canal could be pretty darn funny. ;)

Yeah that was me. And yes I married that woman. I may be an idiot but I'm not stupid.

Uhm...the lawsuits...well...I handled them very creatively. Can't really say anything more!

Myles

Loved your report...felt like I was back in Italy again....I think we should start a cult following for your movie and we could all go to the premier ( any excuse for a trip!)

Quite unfortunately, I think the responses Myles has gotten to his movie proposals are probably pretty much on track-think of how persons you know in this country react when you come back from a really great European vacation and want to tell them about it. How quickly do the eyes of those you are talking to glaze over with disinterest, how quickly do they change the subject to a topic more relevant to their lives? I'm afraid only a very small segment of the population would be interested in such movies-probably not enough for a major film production company to finance.

Hi Myles:

I really enjoyed your report - thank you. I am still horrified about your &quot;dip&quot; in Venice - what a nightmare! However, it is a great story to share with your children and grandchildren :).

Regards Ger

Hey Myles, I loved your report too. It is so refreshing when you tell it like you felt at the time. I had to laugh at your reactions to Italians being Italians by banging on the door and beguiling the lady who did your laundry. Two sides of the Italian coin.

Where are you taking your ideas? I just got home from watching Mad Hot Ballroom which is a character study/docu that would come across pretty bland in a pitch meeting, but its charming and heartwarming and the theatre was 1/3 full. I think you could weave in a good story line, you have a way (your own way!) with ideas. It would have all the family dynamics and the 80 year old mother in the center.

Keep at it!