Due to a small technical tangle, I couldn’t add much illustration to my post about the America’s Cup.
Now that the tangle has been untied, here goes:
The American contender on the left strolls past the Italian contender on the right. It’s nice to see where some of those millions earned from software and handbags has turned up, in case you ever wondered.Possibly the first time the Cup has been displayed in a gondola, but it was excellent to see it in the flesh, so to speak.Two fans at the finals. Boats? Don't bother us.More excitement in the stands.The only participants who had more fun than the winner were the police. I’m imagining they had to draw lots to choose the men who got this assignment, otherwise there’d have been violence.They totally loved doing this. All this white water was only a tiny fraction of the waveage created by all the official boats from every branch of every conceivable service, often going very fast. Which brought to mind the oddness of using so many motors at an event devoted to sailing -- though no odder, I suppose, than the motors required to conduct horse racing and skiing.It was a good day for selling flags of the competing countries.The window of “Alice in Wonderland” was loaded with a flotilla of vitreous craft in full sail, not to mention assorted marine mosaics. The stationery and school-supplies store got in the groove.The dancing-gear emporium did what it could, but the idea of rope and toe shoes makes me feel strangely apprehensive.The boutique-soap-and-mystic-lamp store did a neat job of mystically floating the boat on a mystic pool of vapor.A rusty anchor is always appropriate.Even cooler is the pair of ancient diving boots. I could use some of these on the vaporetto.The funky-clothing store made AmCup garb out of I'm not really sure what.The lady who makes wedding favors sailed far into the past with this baby. Stand by to repel boarders.Her best touch was the silver-coated shells. The globe was nice, too, lest we forget that before fiber-optic catamarans there were real ships that did real things.Fireboats hurling water are extremely entertaining when they're not actually facing a fire. And as several wags on the shore remarked, if the crews got soaked, well, they're used to it.The schooner that started it all: "America" in 1887. Of course, she also sang all the verses and the chorus of "You could never afford this, and even if you could, you probably wouldn't know what to do with it." But she sang it in a very different key.
Once again, my faithful reader(s) have pushed me to do something I knew I should do, but other things kept interrupting me. So I have inquired among several contenders here who have told me that no shop in via Garibaldi won any prize. There were also shops in the San Marco area which were in the running (understandable), so while at this moment I can’t tell you who was the precise winner, I can accurately report that nobody from our little fragment of the world won anything. Oh — I did hear that the Prada store was decorated beyond belief. I don’t interpret that, I merely report.
I heard that the American Oracle team captained by Spithill came in second. Spithill was the captain of one of the boats involved in a capsize here on the San Francisco Bay last June. The capsized captain was current Oracle racing CEO Russell Coutts, who is very experienced. It’s nice to see their boats upright!
Though, I somehow am doubtful that we’ll have such lively window displays, I’ll need to keep an eye out for interesting chotchkies along the wharf. They just “officially” signed the agreement to host it (it somehow wasn’t legit till it’s ceremonial) and broke ground on the piers (broke ground sounds inappropriate for something on water) that they’re renovating for the 2013 Finals.
Thanks for the information and observations. Yes, the fans were definitely over-stimulated. Capsizing appears to be so easy with these craft that I’d be willing to bet (small coins) that every captain of every boat has had several of those experiences. Bummer if they happen in a race, though.
Yes, please, who was the big winner in the shop window contest? And, who decided?
I saw some videos of the event, and you’re so right, those Police ‘boys’ were having such a good time. I wonder what their job description for the day was?
I will have to find out who decided; sorry I don’t have the details right here underfoot, in the midst of everything else that’s underfoot. But I will dig. Job description? I welcome suggestions, but I will refrain from jesting about the Police. They only look like they’re playing.
6 Comments
thanks Erla, brilliant pics and commentary as always!
But…. I’m on the edge of my seat – which shop won the prize for the best shop window????
…and….. did anyone happen to record the sound of the wind in all those sails? Must have sounded amazing. (No, I don’t mean the political speeches….)
Once again, my faithful reader(s) have pushed me to do something I knew I should do, but other things kept interrupting me. So I have inquired among several contenders here who have told me that no shop in via Garibaldi won any prize. There were also shops in the San Marco area which were in the running (understandable), so while at this moment I can’t tell you who was the precise winner, I can accurately report that nobody from our little fragment of the world won anything. Oh — I did hear that the Prada store was decorated beyond belief. I don’t interpret that, I merely report.
I heard that the American Oracle team captained by Spithill came in second. Spithill was the captain of one of the boats involved in a capsize here on the San Francisco Bay last June. The capsized captain was current Oracle racing CEO Russell Coutts, who is very experienced. It’s nice to see their boats upright!
Though, I somehow am doubtful that we’ll have such lively window displays, I’ll need to keep an eye out for interesting chotchkies along the wharf. They just “officially” signed the agreement to host it (it somehow wasn’t legit till it’s ceremonial) and broke ground on the piers (broke ground sounds inappropriate for something on water) that they’re renovating for the 2013 Finals.
I love your excited fans.
Thanks for the information and observations. Yes, the fans were definitely over-stimulated. Capsizing appears to be so easy with these craft that I’d be willing to bet (small coins) that every captain of every boat has had several of those experiences. Bummer if they happen in a race, though.
Yes, please, who was the big winner in the shop window contest? And, who decided?
I saw some videos of the event, and you’re so right, those Police ‘boys’ were having such a good time. I wonder what their job description for the day was?
I will have to find out who decided; sorry I don’t have the details right here underfoot, in the midst of everything else that’s underfoot. But I will dig. Job description? I welcome suggestions, but I will refrain from jesting about the Police. They only look like they’re playing.