La Dolce Vita...and the hunt for a good bellini

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9 Aug - we wake up in Italia. Explore trip - London to Aqaba, Aug08 has officially started.

We are staying just outside Venice in a wee place called Mestre. We check in then head to central Venice by early afternoon. It's great to finally see Venice, can't believe I haven't been before. It really is such a unique city with the canals. Looks just as you imagine it (gondoliers, beautiful buildings, some with doors which appear to open straight onto the water) only better...and surprisingly odour free despite being a hot, summer's day. Ali and I take the vaparetto (water bus) to St Mark's Square. Stopped off en route to take pictures and cross the Rialto Bridge as well as cooling off with some yummy gelato. Meandered around St Mark's Square, admiring the Murano glass shops, pigeons and general people watching.

I had been determined to find Harry's Bar while here, to sample a bellini and in honour of Harry's Bar in the West End of Edinburgh (to report back to William, Nicola and Scott how it compares). However, couldn't find it and prob couldn't have afforded a bellini there anyway! Instead, Ali and I found a lovely little cafe on a quieter back street and sipped bottles of Soave and Pinot Grigio while having a really good natter and watching the world go by.

Got the vaparetto back to the bus station then boarded (what we hoped) was the right bus back to Mestre. It WAS the right bus, just we got off miles after our stop. Once Ali and I realised we were lost, it was late and there was no chance of getting a bus or taxi, I had a surprising moment of initiative and went into a local cafe to ask if we were far from Mestre and if so could they call us a taxi. The v kind man behind the counter did just that. No doubt the first of many 'think on your feet Shons' moments...

We headed to the picturesque piazza in Mestre and had...a couple of bellinis, at last, for the bargain price of EUR4 each, bet they wouldn't have cost that at Harry's Bar...in Venice or Edinburgh!!! Well, it was Saturday night after all.

10 Aug - Sunday morning lie-in then check out of hotel. Wandered around Mestre before heading to the piazza for assorted crostini which included some rather disgusting, salty goose fat type topping as well as the more standard meats and cheeses washed down with v large beer (please note there will be a lot of food references in this blog due to me being such a foodie!).

Early afternoon we catch the train to Ljubiana in Slovenia, via Villach in Austria. Stunning scenery on the journey - dramatic mountains and v Sound of Music.

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Comments

[JANE HOGARTH]

AAhh bellinis!
Soooooooooooooooooooo Jealous. Enjoy every minute. jxx

[Ali]

Eww!
I'd forgotten about the goose-fat...I had thought it was going to be some kind of fish because of the 'wet' look! the though of it has quite put me off my tea....