ooooooh Venice..............

What a close call that was....it was nearly a miss for me this time! But as soon as that plane left the tarmac I finally relaxed!

When we arrived at St Marco airport we bumped into a huge group of nuns that Mark thought was a hen party! A few minutes later we saw a  large group of Monks too....................the stag party? No most definately not but quite a funny thought all the same!!!

Venice as wonderful as ever, as captivating as ever and no matter how many times we visit I will never tire of the unique atmosphere, the bustling palazzo, the silent back streets where even your hushed voice echoes.

 Just a few streets deeper into any area of Venice if you leave the tourist trail you are soon immersed in "real" Venetian day to day life. Washing hung out to dry and at dusk a glimpse inside family homes reveals wonderful chandeliers and painted fresco ceilings in buildings that look so crumbly and neglected from outside.

 It was beautifully sunny and warm in the day but cold enough at night for me to need to wrap that wonderful vintage velvet hooded coat around me! We went to the opera, a Vivaldi concert in the church he actually practised his music, the theatre for a wonderful period costume event and of course hot chocolate at Cafe Florian the haunt of Cassanova.

A coffee and a hot chocolate if you sit out on St Marks square between the marble pillars whilst being seranaded by their quintet of musicians is 33 euros................

....I know!! I know!!! Extortion .....but it`s once a year, it`s Venice and I am not sorry to say that I put the Cafe Florain gilt embellished paper napkins in my bag like a kleptomaniac!

I had heard that in the 18th century many of the merchants who owned the beautiful individial palaces that line the Grand Canal were incredibly rich and lived amazingly decadent lifestyles. I was told that they ate from gold plates and rather than wash them would simply hurl them from their windows into the grand canal below!


We had seen Venice`s cemetery Island sitting out in the sea between Venice and Murano and decided to take a boat there.

I thought that decadent living usually meant a decadent end and went to see if the churchyard housed any angels and cherubs. All I can say is that I have never ever seen such wonderful marble figures, plaques and busts....in no way macabre or sinister....all just simply amazing and hopefully the photographs below show just how stunning. ( you can double click the photographs for a better look).

Huge lifesize angels in fine Italian marble and tiny individual aristocratic chapels.

Who were these princesses I wonder? Those crowns and crests are amazing.

And who was this ballerina? The silk shoes were still amazing............

Hosts of verdi gris cherubs.........

So many statues draped in 19th century rosaries...........

Am I going to bore you with my photographs this week?

You bet I am!!!

A demain mes belles

xx