Buenaventura never leaves their friends alone!

Part 1 – About Buenaventura – Verso il Buenaventura

So, in the end your spaceship landed right on mysterious planet called “Italy”. In order to discover the strange language spoken by the inhabitants of this place (better don’t try to make them speak English if they don’t offer themselves to do so...) and mangle with them the most profitably, we would like to give you some hints and tips. First, you need to reach Castelfranco Veneto, and after you will need to “survive” in there…

At the Marco Polo airport (Venice) – All’aeroporto Marco Polo (Venezia)

Let’s take for granted that you have your bagage safe and sound in your hands (If not, please call Buenaventura as soon as possible and someone will help you) and you long to reach Buenaventura because you really wish to drink a glass of Italian wine, you are hungry and you really want to meet the beautiful girls and boys that are waiting for you in Castelfranco. Attention: In order to catch the bus towards Mestre Railway station you have to exit the Arrival lounge, cross the street and find the bus stop on the opposite platform. There are some luminous displays on the columns. At nights buses are less frequent, so maybe it is better to ask or take a taxi.

From where does the shuttle for Mestre railway station leave - Da dove parte l'autobus per la stazione di Mestre?

Where can I buy the ticket? – Dove si compra il biglietto?

How much does it cost? – Quanto costa? (this can be helpful not only at the airport… of course!)

How long does the trip last? – Quanto dura il viaggio?

Does it stop right in front of the railway station? – Si ferma proprio davanti alla stazione?

You don’t need to ask this… the answer is yes!

Useless Bonus hint: Please notice that young Italian girls are usually kinder that the others. Especially if you are a beautiful, tall and blue-eyed Norwegian man in the flourishing of your thirties…

If you flied with Ryanair, you will land in Treviso, so don’t get upset if you won’t see any gondola or ferry boat around (by the way your airplane will fly just over castelfranco and you can even see the Buenaventura: check for two naked evs-volunteer suntanning on the roof). The very small dimension of the airport will astonish you, but just a little if you are accustomed to fly with Ryanair. Wait for your lugage and exit the lounge (it will be very easy to find the way out…).

Treviso is a nice small city, full of charm and history, but with a mayor that is one of the most racist in Italy. Once he've said: we will not take care of any african immigrants request: they can help themself since they are used to run away from tigers (as you know you cannot find tigers in Africa... maybe lions). Anyhow if you have a couple of spare hours and your enthusiasm is still high, don’t miss the historical centre and the famous Piazza dei Signori. The city centre is very near the bus station, you just have to exit the station, turn left, pass the bridge and walk following the main stream.

Mestre railway station is one of the most unpleasant, dirty and awful Railway station in northern Italy. You are not likely to want to stay there, so please go directly and buy the ticket. It will be easier for you to buy it at the automatic machines: they are far more user friendly than the railway employees. The automatic machines are in the tickets lounge, opposite the news agent’s shop. Big and yellow, you cannot miss them.

Italian trains are more often in time than what you would expect, so don’t take for granted the “legendary” 5 minutes of delay to go and buy something, or go the toilet. Please, try to avoid at all costs Mestre R.S. toilets!

Where are the automatic ticket machines? – dove sono le macchine automatiche per fare il biglietto?

From what platform does the train for Castelfranco leave? – Da quale binario parte il treno per Castelfranco?

Where is the obliteratrice? – Dov'e' l'obliteratrice?

Useful bonus hint: our strange administrators had the brilliant idea to make us stamp our ticket before getting on the train. Please don’t forget to obliterate your ticket, unless there might be a 25 € fine waiting for you…

Alla Stazione di Castelfranco Veneto – At Castelfranco Veneto railway station

After a pleasant trip you'll sure make it to arrive in Castelfranco. Maybe someone of us will be waiting for you, maybe not. So, you will have to reach your hotel. Castelfranco is a small town, and the taxi-journey to the hotel shouldn't cost too much. If there aren't any taxis waiting outside the train station:

Where is the Albergo Roma/Locanda alla Speranza/Hotel al Moretto? – *Dov'è l'Albergo Roma/Locanda alla Speranza/Hotel al Moretto?*

Avanti per circa 100 / 200 / 300 metri – Go straight on for 100 / 200 / 300 meters

Gira a destra / sinistra - Turn right / left

*L'albergo è accanto alla torre /davanti al semaforo /all’incrocio* – the Hotel is near the tower/ in front of the traffic lights / to the crossroads

At the hotel – All'albergo

At the hotel, the staff will help you, so you won’t need to make efforts to speak in Italian, unless you really want to, the girl at reception being so pretty and you wanting to surprise her with your perfect knowledge of Dante’s language.

My name is xxx and I am here for the TEH meeting – Mi chiamo xxx e sono qui per il meeting del TEH.

The room is beautiful – *La stanza è molto bella*

Where is the air conditioning system? – *dov'è l'interruttore dell'aria condizionata?* (in May usually it is not so hot, but you never know…)

May I have another blanket/ pillow/towel? – Potrei avere un'altra coperta/ cuscino/ asciugamano?

I would like to change the room because of the noise – *vorrei cambiare stanza perchè in questa c'è troppo rumore.*

At what time is breakfast served? – *a che ora è la colazione?*

And where? – E dove? (This may very useful, unless in the morning, half asleep and bearing the signs of the night fiestas in Buenaventura, you will find yourself in the laundry…)

Useful bonus hint: in Italy you are not expected to give a tip, but of course at the hotel they will be happy to receive one. At the restaurants it is not necessary at all. Prices are high enough…

By the way... the breakfast in Hotel al Moretto is really good (with salty food).

Welcome to Buenaventura! Benvenuti al Buenaventura!