Venice! Fletch this is for you… can't breathe again! We have literally just walked into our accom in Venice, "B & B Ca'Dor", and it is so cute! I have taken photos so we remember it because it is just so dam crazy beautiful!! Chandeliers, floral prints, pinks, roses… Totes vintage and so cute! I was prepared for pure slum because I had heard some not so pleasant things about Venice but I love it! And I am so happy to call this place home for my birthday! What wasn't so great was the 3 hour train ride from Milan. I did try to have a lil sleep on the 60cm x 1m seat, however this did not work out that well.

I wrote the above just as we arrived in Venice, it's now a couple of days later!

My Birthday was yesterday and it was such a spesh day. We spent a lot of it at the beach at the Lido - definitely not a Goldy beach but we are always open to new things haha! Very crowded with really dark sand and murky greenish water, but we soaked up some serious European rays that's for sure! So much so that the birthday chick had to have a lie down before the evenings special events! As my present from Tim, we went on a Gondola ride together. Wow, it was sooo wonderful.. Every moment was totally surreal - 'are we really doing this? Sipping on champagne whilst floating down the canals in Venice' - such a special experience, so glad we have done it!

The man who owns our B & B where we are staying told us of his 'very romantica' restaurant at the Fish Market called "Postie Vecie". We were a little concerned about how 'romantica' this place would be but we went and checked it out anyway… It was amazing!!! He knew it was my birthday so we were given glasses of champagne on arrival (already slightly pissy from our Gondola experience!) and were seated in a very cute seat for two in primo position. We were then treated to a special menu…SO GOOD! Breads, spinach and fetta cannelloni, veal scaloppini, fish, seafood pasta etc.. Tim even went so far as to say 'best fish ever'!! Once dinner was complete, we were offered desert and despite us turning it down only moments before, they brought out a scrumptious cake with a candle in it and all sung Happy Birthday! So sweet! We stumbled home, full of food and wine and agreed, one of the best birthday's ever!

Today we went to St. Marks square and did all the touristy things - I could really go to town here and explain each tile of every building as I have been known to do! But I won't bore you with that - I do just need to say though that unless you enjoy wandering through a Museum, a Palace, a Bell Tower, a Prison etc.. and reading EVERY SIGN of information about EVERYTHING in the place, don't go with Tim! Man o man, we even had to read the artist of every artwork in The Palazzo Ducale (Duke's Palace) and exactly what year is was completed. And then discuss it! I think you can see who has the brains in this duo.. Me!! What was impressive was the massive 22m x 7m painting by Tintoretto, one of the largest in the world!! What we have found interesting is the amount of restoration works going on around the town. Parts of St Marks Square and Basilica were covered in scaffolding, a bit ugly, not to mention the 20m "Skechers" shoes adds all over the scaffolding.

Mamsie I must tell you, the Basilica (church in St.Marks Square) is absolutely amazing! I wish you could have seen it but obviously we couldn't take photos! I even had to wrap a little cloth around my legs because my shorts were too short/skanky! We were in awe and went and said a little prayer for you guys back home J We just couldn't believe how they constructed such an impressive building so long ago. The entire roof was finished with tiny mosaic tiles, it was freakin fantastic!

I had best add that Tim had input into this entry, hence the various facts! He's a clever one..

Off to Milan tomorrow!! J