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Thread: The Clooney wedding.

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    Default The Clooney wedding.

    George Clooney went to a wedding in Venice and so did I.

    I have been to Venice a number of times and found Venice to be not only lovely but packed with wonderful art and restaurants. And on one memorable visit I was the best man at my friends wedding.

    The wedding was at the Venice town hall (where Clooney was married today--9/29/14), adjacent to the Rialto Bridge. The service was officiated by the Venice Mayor who looked like Peter Sellers in a three button suit, way too snug, and wore a wide sash in the bold Italian colors.

    I am one of those last minute suitcase packers, and I also leave getting ready to go out until the last moment. Adding to that I've always been a little forgetful.

    In a near by Venice hotel I dressed for the wedding, and couldn't find my shoes. Yep. I'd forgotten to pack them.

    I had no time to shop for shoes, so had to show up in a suit; white shirt; tie, and GREEN SNEAKERS. The bride was not amused. I never liked her anyway.

    My friend hissed "what the @#%& are those?" pointing at my feet. I told him I was sorry but I forgot my shoes, but I can buy some tomorrow..."Give me the @#%&ing ring, NOW!" he snarled. I've always assumed he fired me. I was trying to come up with something that rhymed with "Something borrowed, something green..."

    The bridal party consisted of myself, ex-wife, my three sons, and an eighty-five year old maid-of honor: a friend of the bride to be, who lived in Venice, and of course the bride and groom (B&G)

    The mayor entered the large five or six hundred year old chamber, followed by his secretary carrying a huge book. He faced us and the woman opened the book and held it up for the mayor to read. Naturally it's all in Italian. He began to speak then paused and looks quizzically at my friend. I gave him a nudge (taking a wild guess, figuring it was the wrong time to enquire "Sprechen Sie Deutsch?") and hissed "Say Si." My friend did, The mayor said "Grazie," to me, and I answered "Prego." and that endeth my Italiano.... The B&G were relieved assuming I spoke Italiano, but the ancient maid of honor was pissed that I had stolen her thunder I was doing quite well untill the mayor stopped once again and I took a wild guess and told my friend to kiss his bride which he did. The mayor somewhat aghast said, "No, Noa...You noa marry yet!" Oh well, you can't win em all.

    Venice is a marvelous city to walk, there are sidewalks and pedestrian bridges and additionally one can travel the city by a very cheap public ferry system.

    Following the wedding we strolled a couple of blocks to a restaurant and were seated al fresco, in a large walled patio. At long tables nearby was another wedding party. What fun they were having, our table was dead by comparison. It looked just like the opening scene of "The Godfather" with old uncles dancing to the beat of the band with kids standing on their shoes, and the Italians! They don't talk they scream, and laugh eat and drink, and eat again. The father of the other bride sent over bottles of wine and huge slices of cake and invited us over, but our crabby bride said no thanks. My youngest son was not shy, he was over with the Italian kids and running around the tables playing tag.

    All In all it wasn't bad, as weddings go. Eat your heart out George.


    Cheers, Rodney

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    gray_marian Guest

    Default Re: The Clooney wedding.

    #1, Enjoyed that Rodney Thank you

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    Default Re: The Clooney wedding.

    Only once in Venice way back in the 70's. We travelled by catamaran on a tour from Pula in what was then Yugoslavia. Had agrteat day, St Marks Square is something to behold, food and drink great. Had a Gondola ride, but as we were about to leave the weather changed. Within half an hour od sailing we were in deep do do. The catamaran could not handle the waves and we were rolling around like the proverbila drunk. What had taken just over 90 minutes to get there became a four hour nightmare to get back. At one point we heard the crew praying, not good for the confidence of the other passengers. We did get back but the state oif the ccatamaran was something else. I think about 60% of those on board had a conversation with Huey. You could ride a bike down the smell.

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    Last edited by happy daze john in oz; 30th September 2014 at 05:54 AM.
    Happy daze John in Oz.

    Life is too short to blend in.

    John Strange R737787
    World Traveller

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    Default Re: The Clooney wedding.

    Hi shipmates, the only things' I remember about Venice, was the cost to a poor sailor, and the smell of rotten eggs . Going ashore not the best run in ITALY.

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    Default Re: The Clooney wedding.

    I am very annoyed with Clooney.He never invited me to his wedding, which I thought was most impolite.After all I did invite him to mine.

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    Default Re: The Clooney wedding.

    Quote Originally Posted by Louis the Amigo View Post
    Hi shipmates, the only things' I remember about Venice, was the cost to a poor sailor, and the smell of rotten eggs . Going ashore not the best run in ITALY.
    ######i must agree on that one louis .......my beloved wanted to go to venice ....we went i like hols by beaches and marinas ....the place stunk and in the st marks square the water was 3 ft deep ......the only place smelling worse was north shields fish quay ......where john sabourn comes from....lol......his mate cappy

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    Default Re: The Clooney wedding.

    Recently returned from a visit to Venice. It is indeed a beautiful city.We were on a cruise on a P&O boat, Ventura, on a 2 week cruise/drive trip.We spent a day and a night there after visiting a few Med ports. Had a meal and quite a few drinks sitting alongside the Rialto Bridge. watching the busy waterway traffic. The best part of the cruise was the approach to Venice. 116.000 tons of P&O.s finest, barely making headway and hugging the starboard shore showing us all the vista of the city at close quarters, and eventually berthing virtually in the City itself. This was my first visit, but inevitably a lot of members here will have been ashore there and it would be interesting to hear their experiences. Incidentally, according to the Captain ( a jovial chap who hails from Wigan),that trip would be the last to sail direct into the City. Future vessels will anchor outside and be conveyed by tender ashore. Venice IS sinking, and fast, and the wash from huge vessels every day would one day perhaps be instrumental in making it disappear. This was my first cruise and probably my last. The ship was huge with a full capacity (3,000) of passengers and 1,00 crew. Catering were mainly Indian/Sri Lankan,and the bridge were all British. The passengers were 99% British, i don't think i heard a foreign voice all trip. Food was excellent with a choice of restaurants, however, there were several deck buffets available most of the day, which for me, smacked of 'canteen culture'. having to queue for food then try to find somewhere to eat it, while the food bcame cold and inedible. Entertainment was very good and varied from grand opera to stand up comedians , but we rarely found a seat in the many theatres, due to the amount of passengers. As expected, with such a cross section of Brits aboard, the 'pack culture' sometimes evolved, with certain elements reserving a dozen poolside sun loungers, which developed into the odd confrontation between myself and one or two guys wearing Union Flag t-shirts.We paid off in Venice, hired a car at the airport and spent a week touring Lake Garda. That is somewhere i would definitely visit again. Nice hotels, reasonable prices for food and drink, and the scenery magnificent. Got stopped by the police twice, once for a routine check by armed officers and again for making an illegal left turn. Much arm waving and raised voices (not me)! think i got away with that one. Just a tip, never venture out in Italy without driving licence and passport, it is now compulsory. To hark back to the Ventura, a couple of nuggets of info. WE had heard tales of luggage being scanned for booze and if found put into the bond to be returned upon disembarkation. Not so with P&O. Reasonable amounts of alcohol were allowed to be taken aboard for consumption in your cabin, and we had purchased 6 bottles of wine and a litre of Gordons at duty free, so that saved a few bob. However, we noticed a few passengers entering the restaurant for dinner with wine glasses filled right up,saving more. So, wnen in Rome........ There was a 15% gratuity surcharge on all purchases of booze in the bars and restaurants, stated as 'discretionary' on the t&c's. However, there is a little known get out whereas the night before you leave, you can request a gratuity waiver form, sign it and the surcharge disappears, no questions asked. I always like to pay for good service, and we seemed to see different waiters in the restaurant, but the room steward was very good, a young Sri Lankan who could somehow obtain anything for us- from earplugs for my wife, (couldn't sleep, engines too noisy Me- what engines)? to sets of wine glasses and the cheapest shops ashore to top up our bar.
    GILLY
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    Default Re: The Clooney wedding.

    hi gilly a could resume i think of cruising today ......the queing is the thing that got me especilly when wanting to go ashore on tenders etc ....and seeing people with plates filled at the buffets with enough for 3 or 4 persons.....god forbid aserious fire or other seagoing calamity when the electrics go off ........4000persons equals big problems.....no lifts etc working......must say the boat handling is good and good to see the young jos types being given lessons on how to handle a small craft.....have a relation who is chief down below on p and o ......lives like a king ......his wife loves it ...of course cheap living ..and agood chance to save big bucks.........no matter what the cruise ships dont feel like proper ships ......but then we had proper ships not bunfights.....regards cappy

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    Default Re: The Clooney wedding.

    hi shipmates, Hi Cappy, North Shields and south Shields were good runs ashore for poor sailors, the young ladys were allways kind to me ?and the beer was drinkable? Dont remember the fish quay? but had free prawns by the box load, for a few cans of beer {Tennants} off the fisherman, who were a canny bunch. very nice place back then,

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    the fish quay still a god plaice to eat if your up there louis......good fish genuinly straightof the boat.......nice girls good beer.....what more can a seaman ask for .....it was the making of captain kong ......he still talks of it 60 years later......regards cappy

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