I woke at 4:25am in what amounted to a beautifully appointed sauna thanks to the aircon going all Italian and Charlotte deciding the middle if the night a great time to snuggle up with Mum & Dad. I only got to bed at midnight after amending our itinerary to forego Sorrento in favor of 3 more days in Firenze. I think we both got Firenzeitis a few days back and yesterday was a downer (apart from the driving stress) and I am sure it was due to leaving Firenze.
We finally had breakfast at 8:30 after all the cancellations and rebooking of trains and accommodation. We were lucky to find a modern 2 bedroom apartment in the middle of the Piazza Della Signoria - right next to the Uffizi galleria.
We are finding it hard to get moving today and I think we are all looking forward to the down time in our Tuscan farmhouse. It was after 11 before we made it out of our hotel for the day which may seem crazy with such a famous and wondrous place on our doorstep but fatigue and a spot of home sickness can do that.
Mum & the girls were feeling like a break so Tarn & I grabbed the train across to Venice. The train system in Italy is brilliant and the suburban trains here are very comfortable indeed. Within 15 minutes we had crossed the bridge to the island.
Venice does nothing by halves and from what I have gathered you either love it or hate it. Well after traipsing around shop after shop in Muranoland I can honestly say the place does nothing for me but I can see why it would appeal to some but for me it lacks a soul. Tarn on the other hand loves Venice and thinks it certainly has soul. This galvanizes the overview of opinions we heard prior.
We grabbed some nice pieces of genuine Murano glass and decided to grab a bite to eat in a pizza restaurant as Tarn needed a toilet and over here that means a restaurant or a pay as you go unless you want to be confronted by something from the dark ages (and possibly the last time they were cleaned). The other bonus was wifi so I could check how Carlton were going and like last week when I got access scores were level but thankfully this week we got up.
Tarn quipped when I said how did we survive before the iphone that when she was last overseas there was no iPhone, wifi or indeed the Internet - how would we cope nowadays as this whole trip was booked on the Internet. How reliant we have become and how we will realize this for the next two weeks in the Tuscan mountains where wifi is as scarce as a Collingwood supporter with all his own teeth.
We grabbed the train back to Mestre which is a bit like Richmond, Footscray & Collingwood rolled into one. It has a large sub continental, Chinese and African population which gives the place a uniqueness in Italy which is refreshing and ensures a dietary option to Italian food, as was proven by a cracking Falafel kebab yesterday.
Tarn & the girls have gone out for gelati (again) - I can't say I blame them it is superb over here, silky smooth and full flavored.
Easter Sunday tomorrow so hoping the Easter Bunny can find us and we can find a church for Mum.
Hopefully the Easter Bunny brings some tea bags with him.
Ciao