A night in Geneva

Caros staircase to her apartmet.. very very different architecture

Went to the restaurant last night for Chabonade.

Had a choice of Beef, horse, or turkey.. Bravely took the beef.

Then next morning up, cleaned the place and headed back to Geneva.

we went via the train station and collected the railway tickets to ITaly, and then back to Caros to get some washing done, and yet once again Oscar cooked dinner.

Rosti, veal sausage, love it, loved it.. I am making that when we get home

Up early this morning, and raced to train station.

Caro, Thanks, its been just brilliant

I think we may have driven Mark and Oscar a little mad with the chatter, and laughing, but it was good to be back on the same page we dropped off.

It was such a fantastic week.

OK

so on the train, for 7 1/2 hours to Venice, via the Matterhorn(well, we saw it) and Mont Blanc Tunnel.. I think it is 37 km through the tunnel.Past Lake Como, which was stunning, and the incredible white ice frost all the way to Venice.. There is Ice on the lagoon at Venice, and clumps of snow on the sides of the footpath

we ate, dozed, Ipods, and watched movies.

Stopped in Milan for about 30 mins, then finally to Venice at 3.30

I think the kids were blown out to walk out of a train station, straight on to a canal, like something out of a James Bond Movie.

Its cold.

very very very cold.

Its minus 3 right now, and will be a balmy 1 deg tomorrow, then snow on Wednesday and Thursday

So we finally found the B&B. good directions actually

the room is huge,clean, bright, modern, all new appliances, a very very cool modular sort of bath.

And best of all?

a Balcony overlooking a canal!!!

stunning

So,

we dropped the bags and headed out for food.

Jacob found a Burger King, but that would be a sin, to have that.

so agreed on a pasta place, then to the Cafe Americano, in San Marco square for Icecream and hot chocolates and cointreau, then managed to find our way home

Elanora Agostini, the owner said Venice is very very quiet.

Seems like the word of the day in all the tourist areas right now..Lets just say it hasnt reflected in the cost of a bowl of spaghetti with tomato passato(8 Euros)

So, we are here for 3 days then heading off to the south of Italy to warm these bones,, its 16 down there,, might get a Tshirt on, and the long johns off. They have become a second skin.

In the mean time, this will be picture heavy, from Dinner on the last night, till now.

Then I am up to speed!

Hannah is moaning about the church bells..we are only 50 yards of so from San Marco church

Yes, they are loud!!!

with the double pane french doors closed, they reverberate through here