washing day

unbelievably we have a washing machine in our apartment - riches!  So today is washing day.  It means we have time to catch up on our correspondence - a couple more postcards and also blogs.

Greg Johnson is playing through the portable speaker (yes we brought it with us) and we're perched either side of the table - we have quite a bit of furniture as well as several rooms - working on our diaries.

Last night we treated ourselves to a fancy dinner.  It was probably comparable in price to any nice meal out at home, but more than we have typically paid over here.  I don't know why people think Venice and Rome are so expensive - maybe those people don't live in Wellington?  We pay one euro for a coffee (and it's always delicious) and another euro for a breakfast pastry.  Yesterday it was 1.80 for a slice of pizza big enough to feed us both lunch.  So, fancy dinner. Yum.  There was a slight setback when G's steak came over done.  He sent it back and they were great.  Brought him a properly (less) cooked one - and also took back my main and brought it back warm so we could eat together.  Good marks there.  Also, they have a thing going with cape gooseberries as garnish - being a particular favourite and one of the few things that seems to thrive in what passes for our garden we were enchanted.  Altho the waitress would not accept that they were cape gooseberries and her english title (now forgotten along with their italian name) was different.

I have become addicted to the spritz.  Watch out drinking buddies - these are coming at you on our return - even tho they are fundamentally unsuited to winter.  We will pretend.

I am totally smitten with Venice.  Our host, Laura, suggested we use the map only as a last resort and simply wander about.  We have been doing that a lot and it's great.  It's just the most beautiful place.  When G wins our millions we'll be back - not right on the grand canal like Byron, but somewhere nearby.  I've also been reading Donna Leon and a couple of other novels set in Venice.  It's a lovely thing to do.  

We've both read the John Grisham set in Bologna so we've also got a list of places we want to find next week when we're there...

So, what have we seen and done?  San Giorgio Maggiore - that bell tower has fewer people and better views than the San Marco's (we are reliably informed).  The fish market, all the bridges, Murano, a handful of other churches, random caffes when we're hungry or thirsty.  The Doge's palace, prison, bridge of sighs...

We haven't been to Peggy's yet.  Maybe today.  It's just that it's so beautiful outside... We are enjoying the most lovely summer and it's still supposedly Spring.

The plan was to stay places for long enough that we didn't feel the need to rush around the whole time.  What we didn't think about is our tendency to keep going. So we are practising the art of slowing down.  It's not something I generally struggle with at home - especially if it's a choice between the couch and chores in the kitchen or the garden...

Also, I have found some very cool local crafts - including stuff made by men in prison.  Best glass case ever (not shown)  Have also found the drinking glasses of my dreams but accept that the trials of transporting these are too great.  I have satisfied myself with a picture and a memory...

Oh, and as we downed a last drink before wandering home last night, who should we hear playing at the bar, but Lorde... Sipping on a spritz, listening to Royals, in a venetian bar.  Yup.