We boarded another gondola and started down a different canal. The canal was only about five meters wide, and the sun was sparkling on the water. Orange brick buildings lined both sides and cast shadows on the water. Many of the building windows had flower boxes with red flowers growing in them. It was a beautiful sight.

“Could you have imagined anything like this, Andelbert?” I asked.

“Never. I read about Venice in Baron Raspberry’s library. But this is beyond anything I imagined. It is breathtaking.”

“Where are we going?” I asked Jonas.

“Café Benedetti. They have delicious food for a good price. You will love it.”

“What kind of food do people eat in Venice?” Andelbert asked.

“Oh, it is mainly fish, crabs, pasta, rice, and bread. I know exactly what to order. If you trust me.”

“Of course. Since neither of us read or speak Italian, I am content to let you choose the food,” Andelbert answered.

“I agree,” I added.

“Excellent. You won’t be sorry.”

The gondola came to a stop, and we got off. We walked down a small alley and crossed over a high arched bridge with an iron railing. The railing continued down a narrow walkway. It was just wide enough for a single row of tables along the fence while still allowing people to pass. Flower boxes containing more of the red flowers I saw in the canal lined the rails. Across from the row of tables stood an open building with more tables and a green canvas awning with the name Café Benedetti written on it.

“This is it,” Jonas said. We sat down at an empty table.

“Excellent. I am quite hungry.”

A young woman rushed over and kissed Jonas on the cheek and said something loudly in Italian. He smiled and said something back, which made her laugh. She turned to me, and I instantly recognized her. It was the girl who tossed the flower down to me from a bridge when we first arrived.

“Come ti chiami?” she said and smiled.

I look at Jonas, and he told her my name was Britpop and that I didn’t speak Italian. Then he introduced Andelbert. She said something back to Jonas, and he laughed.

“I will order the food now if you still want me to choose.”

“Yes,” I said.

Jonas ordered, and the girl walked away.

“What did she say?” I asked as soon as she left.

“I told her you didn’t speak Italian. And she said, ‘What a shame. He is cute.’”

I almost fell out of my chair.

“What is her name?” I asked.

“Aida,”

“She is the girl who dropped a flower to me off the bridge when we first arrived.”

“Perhaps she likes you,” Jonas teased.

Suddenly Aida returned with a basket of bread. I could feel myself starting to blush. She smiled, turned and was gone again.

“She is so beautiful. I think I am in love.”

Andelbert gave me a funny look, and Jonas laughed.

“I also fell in love with her the first time I came here,” Jonas said. “You will fall in love in every port, I think.”

“I think you are right,” Andelbert said.

“Me too,” I said, and we all laughed.

After a few minutes of conversation, our food arrived.

“What is it?” I asked Jonas.

“This is Sarde In Saor. Sardines in vinegar, onions, raisins, and nuts. And this is Mołéche. Small green crabs. They shed their shells in the springtime. But in a few hours, they grow new ones. So they have to be caught quickly. And for the voyage, I have ordered some Baicoli. They are ship biscuits. They will last for the entire crossing if you have the willpower not to eat them all at once. I do not have such discipline. They taste too good.”

We started eating. Jonas’s choices were indeed delicious. As we were eating and talking, a large man came up to the table and spoke a few words to Jonas. Jonas replied, and the man turned to me and smiled.

“Jonas says you speak French. I am Filippo Benedetti. This is my restaurant. How is your meal?”

“It is delicious, thank you.”

“And how was your waiter?”

“Excellent. And very beautiful,” I replied.

The man suddenly quit smiling and looked at me with a stern expression.

“Of course, she is beautiful. She is my daughter. I have a kitchen full of sharp knives, and a special canal out back for those who think she is beautiful enough to pursue.”

I stared at him in horror for a few moments. Then he burst in great waves of laughter. Jonas also laughed.

“I am only kidding you, my friend. Everyone falls in love with Aida. How could they not? But she will not be caught easily. I have tried to marry her off many times, but she is as stubborn as she is lovely.”

I sighed and managed a weak smile. Filippo slapped me on the back and walked away, laughing.

“You knew this was going to happen, didn’t you?” I asked Jonas.

“I’ve been waiting for it all day,” he replied.

We all laughed.

After we finished our meal and tried a few Baicoli, we found another gondola and headed back toward The Jellyfish. We crossed under the arched bridge again, and to my delight, Aida was standing there and dropped another red flower.

“Ciao, Britpop.” She said.

“Ciao, Aida!” I yelled.

She smiled and was gone.

That night as we prepared to sleep in our cabin, Andelbert asked, “What do you plan to do tomorrow?”

“Pint wants to take us to the Risotto Casino. The wealthy go there wearing masks so they can pursue their vices anonymously. He says he knows where we can buy some masks.

Scar Arm says we must visit the covered barges along the Grand Canal, which sell everything known to man. He said there are also food barges, festival barges, and barges containing other wondrous things. But he wouldn’t say what those other wondrous things are.

Jonas says if we like violin music, we should visit the Opera House. He saw a sign for a performance today of violin concertos by someone named Vivaldi.

And, of course, Stout wants to take us drinking.”

“It is a difficult choice,” Andelbert stated.

“I must sleep on it. I will decide in the morning.”

“That is most wise. Goodnight, Britpop.”

“Goodnight to you, Andelbert.”

The next morning I decided I would let Andelbert choose what to do. But my generosity was in vain. At breakfast, Captain Peanut Butter announced that we were sailing immediately.

“Lads, I just got a report that two Spanish ships are headed toward port. We are leaving now. All hands on deck. Barrelhoop, how are our supplies?”

“Fully stocked Captain. The lads worked extra hard yesterday to get a day off today,” Barrelhoop reported.

“I am truly sorry to cancel your shore leave lads, but the Spanish would like nothing better than to see us all swinging at the end of a rope. And I plan to be long gone before they arrive.”

Everyone stopped eating, ran up to the deck, and began preparing the ship to sail. After a flurry of activity, we were on our way back out to the open sea. And hopefully, far from sight of the Spanish. We sailed east, knowing the Spanish were coming from the south. We didn’t see any ships the entire day.