We had decided to have a nice dinner on the Grand Canal one night in Venice. We chose a ritzy hotel and walked over, noticing a cool breeze and a few clouds. We wandered though the hotel noticing the glitz and opulence. We girded our loins, as it were, for an expensive meal hoping we could afford something besides a salad. As we sat down for dinner this Club Med ship was heading out to sea with some gondolas in the foreground. It was a beautiful spot and a beautiful night.
We ordered wine and a bottle of water and sat looking out on the grand canal and the customs house.
Before long it began to rain lightly, and then heavily. Pretty soon it was a downpour and we were rejoicing the end of the long hot summer. A little after that, the skies opened up and a downpour became a deluge, and then hail. The Japanese lanterns were picked off one by one. The staff came out of the kitchen to watch the spectacle and hail stones were bouncing off the gondolas.
Nancy captured a hailstone in flight in this picture. Customers were picking up the hailstones and showing them to each other. The staff were shaking their heads in awe and Kate heard a waiter say he had never seen such weather in his whole life. Tables were moved away from the edge and we were splashed by stones and drops wherever we sat.
The visibility went from unlimited to a matter of 50 yards. All of a sudden we couldn't see across the Grand Canal. Boats disappeared, either under cover or into the mist.The Japanese lanterns flew about and ended up on the deck.
I have personally never seen bigger hailstones. Not golf ball size, but close to walnut size. We wondered if the canopy would make it through the storm.
Soon, all the lanterns were demolished and the storm cleared up for the evening. The hot spell was broken, at least for awhile. The visibility went back to unlimited and we went back to our meal. Please click on Nancy's pictures to elarge them.
We had decided to have a nice dinner on the Grand Canal one night in Venice. We chose a ritzy hotel and walked over, noticing a cool breeze and a few clouds. We wandered though the hotel noticing the glitz and opulence. We girded our loins, as it were, for an expensive meal hoping we could afford something besides a salad. As we sat down for dinner this Club Med ship was heading out to sea with some gondolas in the foreground. It was a beautiful spot and a beautiful night.
We ordered wine and a bottle of water and sat looking out on the grand canal and the customs house.
Before long it began to rain lightly, and then heavily. Pretty soon it was a downpour and we were rejoicing the end of the long hot summer. A little after that, the skies opened up and a downpour became a deluge, and then hail. The Japanese lanterns were picked off one by one. The staff came out of the kitchen to watch the spectacle and hail stones were bouncing off the gondolas.
Nancy captured a hailstone in flight in this picture. Customers were picking up the hailstones and showing them to each other. The staff were shaking their heads in awe and Kate heard a waiter say he had never seen such weather in his whole life. Tables were moved away from the edge and we were splashed by stones and drops wherever we sat.
The visibility went from unlimited to a matter of 50 yards. All of a sudden we couldn't see across the Grand Canal. Boats disappeared, either under cover or into the mist.The Japanese lanterns flew about and ended up on the deck.
I have personally never seen bigger hailstones. Not golf ball size, but close to walnut size. We wondered if the canopy would make it through the storm.
Soon, all the lanterns were demolished and the storm cleared up for the evening. The hot spell was broken, at least for awhile. The visibility went back to unlimited and we went back to our meal. Please click on Nancy's pictures to elarge them.
2 comments:
Beautiful pictures! So, were you able to order the "hailstorm special" and have an affordable dinner?
I was in a hailstorm about 2 weeks ago...it's just so bizarre to be sweating up a storm in 95 degree weather and suddenly find yourself being pelted by pieces of ice...it seems to make no sense, does it? This "global warming" seems to have some quirky weather effects!
I hope your meal was as interesting as your "icy adventure"!
Luke
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