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A perfect, romantic evening
Aug. 13th, 2010 09:19 amThe girls are at camp this week, so Rob and I decided to find something special to do to belatedly celebrate our anniversary. Only what?
I ran across the perfect idea, and it was splendid! I ran across this, a company called "Gondola Romantica" on the internet. Apparently, an enterprising gentlemen about ten years ago bought and shipped a traditional Venetian gondola from Venice to Minnesota and is offering it for rides in Stillwater, on the St. Croix river. There are several different packages you can choose from. You can get a ride complete with a picnic dinner. Or you can have a lovely meal beforehand at a dockside restaurant overlooking the river and then go for a ride afterwards. That's the option we chose to do.
The meal was wonderful. I had the salmon and Rob had the pork tenderloin, and both were delicious.
We could see the gondola gliding by on the river below as we ate our meal:
We had timed our ride to take place at sunset, and that turned out to be a happy choice. The boat we were riding, our gondolier explained, is somewhere between three and four hundred years old, and it is entirely luxurious and comfortable. The light slowly ebbed away as he slowly guided the gondola under the bridge and over to bob along the Wisconsin side of the river. Yachts passed to and fro as the twilight deepened. Amber lights spilled over the water, reflecting on the surface in butterscotch ripples as Rob and I talked quietly. Nighthawks darted over the water, their rasping cries echoing in the still, humid air. I had a sandelwood fan that I used to languidly fan myself. No mosquitoes troubled us.
It was absolutely perfect. I can't remember the last time I felt so peaceful and happy.
As the gondola slowly turned and began making its way again to the landing, storm clouds began to gather overhead. A lightning display began lighting up the clouds, but the rain charitably held off until five minutes after we touched back on shore.
We highly recommend the experience.
( More pictures under the cut )
Tell me about a perfect romantic evening you've once had, or a clever, unusual thing you did together with your partner to connect with him or her. What made it so special?
I ran across the perfect idea, and it was splendid! I ran across this, a company called "Gondola Romantica" on the internet. Apparently, an enterprising gentlemen about ten years ago bought and shipped a traditional Venetian gondola from Venice to Minnesota and is offering it for rides in Stillwater, on the St. Croix river. There are several different packages you can choose from. You can get a ride complete with a picnic dinner. Or you can have a lovely meal beforehand at a dockside restaurant overlooking the river and then go for a ride afterwards. That's the option we chose to do.
The meal was wonderful. I had the salmon and Rob had the pork tenderloin, and both were delicious.
 |
We could see the gondola gliding by on the river below as we ate our meal:
 |
We had timed our ride to take place at sunset, and that turned out to be a happy choice. The boat we were riding, our gondolier explained, is somewhere between three and four hundred years old, and it is entirely luxurious and comfortable. The light slowly ebbed away as he slowly guided the gondola under the bridge and over to bob along the Wisconsin side of the river. Yachts passed to and fro as the twilight deepened. Amber lights spilled over the water, reflecting on the surface in butterscotch ripples as Rob and I talked quietly. Nighthawks darted over the water, their rasping cries echoing in the still, humid air. I had a sandelwood fan that I used to languidly fan myself. No mosquitoes troubled us.
 |
It was absolutely perfect. I can't remember the last time I felt so peaceful and happy.
As the gondola slowly turned and began making its way again to the landing, storm clouds began to gather overhead. A lightning display began lighting up the clouds, but the rain charitably held off until five minutes after we touched back on shore.
We highly recommend the experience.
( More pictures under the cut )
Tell me about a perfect romantic evening you've once had, or a clever, unusual thing you did together with your partner to connect with him or her. What made it so special?