New travel blog

I think I'm going to have to do this because it doesn't seem that this one is working any more

Is that the Coloseum? No, it's not. But I just wanted to see your reaction if I blogged it!

I really am getting to the point of deciding that I really don't like photos of me, but anyway. But that is good bye to Venice. Next stop, Rome!

So what do you do when it's freezing cold at night in Venice in the middle of winter? Eat gelato of course! Sarah would never have done this if I hadn't insisted on it, but it was fun. And in the background you can see the Rialto Bridge. "Our" bridge, rigt near our little B&B. 

Oooh, pretty! Funny thing is though, even though I say, "oooh, pretty" I don't think I would wear or use any of this stuff, let alone buy it! Me's a simple girl, I must say. 

Another reflection photo. A "real" one this time. 

But what I want to know is, who has the money to buy this stuff? 

This was an art gallery (where the work is for sale) with some really gorgeous, and some really weird, artwork. These mirrors were gorgeous. Imagine how much work it would have taken. 

A candle-lit dinner in Italy, how romantic. We didn't go there. Looked far touristy big note - don't do the really touristy places, and if you want a real Italian meal in Venice be willing to pay a bit more. Otherwise you may just get a pre-made meal that has been heated in the microwave. 

Very delicate work, but so quickly done. 

Glass making in the works. This was an oasis scene with three camels. You can see the camels. It would have been the perfect opportunity to ask, "Puedo socar su photo?" (not completely confident on the spelling) pity it's the wrong language being in Italy and all! 

Have no idea of the significance of this but found it and thought that it was a bit random so had to take a photo. Also, there was a lot of old confetti around the place. Not sure what it was for, maybe New Year? 

The funky clock at the army barricks that we found. (Who ever heard of the army having style?) It was huge and all walled in by a lot of bricks! hmm, wonder what that says when I used to be able to just over the fence to chase our housemates cat back into the house and the fact that this weird stalker guy used to come over from the army barricks?!

Hehe, washing hanging across the street for everyone to see. Haven't they ever heard of not airing dirty laundry in public? Well I guess this stuff is clean. And it's not too much different to hanging it in your backyard on the Hills Hoist (let's see how many people actually know what that is) and letting your neighbours see it. Wow, so many analogies there. But one thing I never thought of when I was taking the photo, how do the get it across the street. Must be on some kind of pulley system or something. 

How funny, you can't even see the bend of the pathway. It really was that tiny. Look - three pavers across. 

No, I did not do a bad job of straightening this photo, the building is that crooked. I guess that's why there is all the scafolding around it - I'm pretty sure they were trying to fix it. It's what you get for building your whole city on water, sometimes it sinks! 

This one isn't as spectacular but it gives you a bit of perspective. It was all very gorgeous and did have this very ethereal air and we lit candles and prayed for loved ones which seemed to have great significance as you lit the candle and then left it there, a symbol that it had been left in God's hands. But I still found much in sense in Sarah's adaptation of a well known song, "I'll bring you more than a church, because it in itself is not what you desire." 

It's a bit blurry, but this is the best version of this. The gorgeous gilded mosaic ceilings of the entrance to Basilica di San Marco. Amazing stuff. You couldn't actually take photos inside because they decided that seeing it is a church it should be treated with appropriate reverence. Inside I guess it made sense, but you also have to truly wonder if God is bothered if we want to take photos inside a man-made place of worship. But when in Rome... or Venice as it is. 

Look at the beautiful patterns, and all made from using different coloured stone. 

I was not really up for being swarmed by random dirty, disease carrying birds, so no bird seed for me! That was something that really confused me. These people would put bird seed all over them, including on their head and stuff and then shrink and cower like they didn't want the birds to land on them. So what were you doing with the bird seed in the first place?! 

Napoleon said it was the finest drawing room in Europe, but somebody forgot to remind him about the pigeon poop on the tables! 

The pigeons of San Marco Square - they are everywhere. And as opposed to most of the other parts of the world (and even Venice!) they sell feed here to encourage the pigeons to stay and to do this. 

Absolutely gorgeous pictures all done in mozaic. Can you imagine how long that would have taken?! 

The Camponile in San Marco Square, from which you get an amazing view of the most well known parts of Venice. Pity we couldn't go up it - it was under construction (There are so many things that they are fixing up. I wouldn't be surprised if there are constant 'upgrades' going on). 

A tribute to histroy, architecture, culture and Venetian fog! (there was heaps of it this day.) 

Amazing, amazing, amazing marionettes. And you can see the masks as well. Venice is famous for it's masks, but you have to be careful because there are some mighty cheap versions floating around. I did scumb and bought myself a mask. You can't wear it though - it's too little.