16/09/03 — Venice
The rest of Venice was fabulous, not least because
just as I was about to leave town and was walking to
a cafe to say goodbye to Fabienne and James who'd just
arrived, who should spot me from the wall she's sitting
on but Catherine! Wild screams, hugs, turns out she's
been trying to SMS me all day but I didn't get the
messages. She and her two friends Mel and Brigette
jumped on a train from Firenze in response to my mail.
Frantic checking of my ticket to Vienna: yep, valid
for two months, I can put off my journey and stay an
extra day.
So, we all troop off to the bar and the next day we head for the islands Murano and Burano that I haven't seen yet. Murano is where all the gorgeous glass is made and Burano has really amazing colourful houses. I find a wedding present for my sister and we take lots of photos. It's also a kind of strange day for me because I don't feel like I'm really a girl like other girls, and the whole running-around-shopping thing is very different from any other day I've spent on the trip.
Venice was odd like that. Also 'bumped into' Janine, old Sunday Life colleague now living in London. How, in a world of 6 billion people do you just bump into someone you know on a vaporetto? Also overheard some camera people talking, went and spoke to them, they're from 60 Minutes. Can we swap cards? Of course. Hang on, says one, are you so-and-so's daughter? I live two doors down from your parents! Your mother's involved with fighting the council with us. Bizarre.
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^^ Murano's claim to fame is all the odd-coloured houses |
^^ And of course, it still has canals |
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^^ More houses and boats |
^^ We almost bought a house here |
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^^ Very homely |
^^ And then there was a lilac one |
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^^ Looks better close up |
^^ Bright houses and cobblestoned streets |
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^^ Catherine in the streets |
^^ And of course, sunset from the dock |