PalenQ

and the fog slips in on little cat feet - or some such words of T S Eliot I believe about fog in Venice. And lo and behold a few days ago in Venice we witnessed fog so dense that you could see barely 20 feet ahead of you

many canal boats were not running and even the few that were, such as to the Lido, had horns constantly blaring though I'm sure they also have radar, etc.

One huge cruise ship had to dock elsewhere and passengers bused in over two hours to Venice!

But the city takes on a very mysterious bent in the fog that is not so unusual in winter months.

Some say I have always been in a fog and I felt so in Venice.

PalenQ

The fog creeps in on little cat feet.
It sit on silent haunches,
Looking over harbor and city,
And then moves on.

And it were by Carl Sandburgh not Eliot! And I am or was an English Lit major!

annhig

perhaps a disadvantage of staying on the Lido, Pal?

how are things mow?

PalenQ

well we just flew home from Venice today and fog lifted - were worried however - boats were running to the Lido in fog - a vital link to folks living there, including many oldsters.

Amsterdam had been fogged in for some days before but this monring there the sun was shining and all was smooth. Suppose you are used to fog in Cornwall?

qwovadis

Several years back my Princess Star cruise ship dinged

a prop they put into Trieste could not get into Venice

They put us in the Churchhill Suite in the Excelsior

Even in the fog it is awesome...

Truly the best hotel out on the lido if budget is good.

I LOVE foggy Venice one of the best times...

hetismij2

You should have been in AMs Pal - we've had days of ridiculous fog too. Schiphol was closed for a while.

I can imagine Venice is very atmospheric in fog, and perhaps just a tad dangerous too.
Mind you don't fall in a canal .

annhig

Suppose you are used to fog in Cornwall?>>

no more than other places I've lived, though we do occasionally in summer get a "sea mist" [even though we are not exactly on the coast].

Fortunately there are no canals to fall into if it gets very foggy though you would be well advised to stay away from the cliffs!

annw

We had fog delays in Milan and Munich 2 days ago--seemed just as foggy at Heathrow but no delays there.

Ackislander

One of the most magical experiences of my life was arriving with my wife in St Marks Square at midnight, in the fog. We were alone, and it was our very first trip to Venice.

It of course followed a very long day of waiting at Brussels for Marco Polo airport to clear enough to land, being diverted to Treviso when it socked in again, waiting hours for a bus, etc, etc, etc. But it was all worth it.

It stayed so foggy that we did not know a warship was anchored off the Square until the end of the week, and we never saw the silhouette of St Giorgio Maggiore. But what a week to wander the back streets and alleys!

caroline_edinburgh

You were right first time too, PalQ : similar thoughts by TS Eliot in 'The Love Song of Alred J. Prufrock (although I always thought it was about London) -

"The yellow fog that rubs its back upon the window-panes
The yellow smoke that rubs its muzzle on the window-panes
Licked its tongue into the corners of the evening
Lingered upon the pools that stand in drains,
Let fall upon its back the soot that falls from chimneys,
Slipped by the terrace, made a sudden leap,
And seeing that it was a soft October night
Curled once about the house, and fell asleep.

"And indeed there will be time
For the yellow smoke that slides along the street,
Rubbing its back upon the window-panes..."

The first time I ever visited Venice was on Boxing Day 1998, as a day trip from the Dolomites. It was cold but sunny on terra firma, but foggy and absolutely freezing out on the lagoon. I was the coldest I've ever been - and I've spent the last 18 years in Scotland !!

azzure

We were in Venice Nov. 11-14 and the weather was spectacular...in fact in two weeks in Italy and Paris, we never had anything but clear skies. I feel so fortunate (it is November, after all, and I came home to constant rain and wind here near Seattle).

marty

One year we spent Thanksgiving in Venice. We hired a water taxi to take us to the airport for a 7AM flight. He arrived at our hotel only to tell us that the lagoon was fogged in, and he could not take us to airport. He took us to the carpark where many, many people were trying to get land taxis. We begged the Air France bus to take us to the airport with its crew, but to no avail! The 6 of us finally got into a taxi. This was 2000, so we actually walked into the airport and straight onto our plane just before the door closed. Too close for comfort for me. I am taking my 12th trip to Venice in January, and that is the only time that has happened to me! I agree, though, that the city is another kind of magic when covered in an eerie fog.

ladycartel

Venice fog is probably the only fog which is actually romantic, eerie and mysterious all at once. If you get up really early, it feels like the city is a ghost town. Love it!