PUT A SOCK IN IT

Dear Reader

Just a little note about our recent trip.

Here's a picture of Maurice and I taken on the Grand Canal in Venice by an obliging American lady whilst we were being rowed across on a gondola. This is the cheapskate version of a gondola ride in Venice. The real deal costs around £70 for half an hour but you can catch the 'local authority' gondola for a quick trip across the City's widest waterway for half a Euro or 50 pufflinks as Maurice would say. As you can see it was a bitterly cold day. What you can't see is that it was Maurice's 50th birthday that day. We had a really lovely time in Venice and great fun celebrating his half century and I would recommend it as a 'must see' destination. As Barbara mentioned on Saturday the fact that they you never see a car in such a large place is a really strange phenomenon. It is also achingly beautiful and truly romantic in an original shabby chic way. The light and the mists make it an artists' dream and you can walk for as long as your legs will allow just drinking in the atmosphere and the wonderful sights and scenery crossing over canals and bridges and getting more and more lost in the labyrinth of tiny streets and passages. Then there's the heritage and of course the novelty of travelling, very leisurely, by water boat. Just watching everything being brought into the city on the water and people going about their everyday life by boat is so novel. And water is so relaxing don't you think. Window shopping in the 'designer' streets is a 'how wonderful but how much!' experience too, although I did find a branch of my very favourite sock shop in the entire world - Calzedonia - if you want to check it out. It only used to exist in Italy but the sales assistant says there's now a branch in Regent Street London which caused me great excitement. The socks and tights are wonderful quality, made in Italy, are not too expensive and wash like a dream. I bought 16 pair. Not all for me I hasten to add in case you think I've got a sock fetish, although I could write a book on socks and tights and disappointing pairs I've bought lol! Hmmmmm, as Granny would say 'Put a sock in it' Anne and change the subject, your readers will think you're mad!

Anyway, that's the good side of this unique place. On the negative you'll need Securicor to deliver the money you'll need to enjoy your holiday and the wonderful Italian food that you get everywhere else in Italy just didn't make it to Venice. They've got a tourist paradise and unfortunately they've exploited that. But still, don't let that put you off. Go. Go now.