Beautiful Venice

Our border crossing into Italy was quite noticeable, not due to any actual border checks or anything like that (we still haven't left the UK according to our passports) but because as we drove into a mountain tunnel at one end in heavy snow we popped out the other end in sunshine- and Italy.

We were still in the mountains though and as we drove we got to see some of the views we had been missing on the last few days in Austria. It was really lovely. There were loads and loads of castles dotted along the road as well, perched up on impossible looking pieces of rock and the drive was quite picturesque.

Our one destination in Italy was Venice. The reason for our visit being so short and specific was that Italy is the only EU country that requires drivers to carry an IDP (international driving permit) which essentially is just a translation document.

We both hold IDPs but they arrived in Scotland after we left and we still haven't managed to organise a forwarding address for long enough to get them sent. You really have to wonder about our organisation sometimes don't you?

We had done a bit of research into the likelyhood of being asked to produce the IDP and what the punishment was for not being able to (75 Euro on the spot-ouch) and decided to risk just the hop to Venice and then straight out again.

Boy was it worth it. We stayed four nights in a campground across the lagoon so we had to get a boat each morning across to Venice itself. The first day we spent just wandering about getting royally lost. One of the striking things about Venice is how much larger it was to what we had expected and combining that with the fact it is purely crossed on foot or by boat down narrow streets and canals (most of which are dead ends) it made for a fun few hours exploring.

Adam was sorely wounded on the first day when we thought it would be a good idea to feed the pigeons on St Mark's square. They went mental. We have never had so many living things on us at once. At one stage Eva had pigeons three deep on each arm, and Adam copped a claw to the face. When we returned to the square later in the day the birds were much calmer so a warning to all- do not feed the St Mark's pigeons first thing in the morning when they are hungry!!

The following day we checked out St Mark's basilica which (along with the square) was flooded due to a high tide. The square looked to be shin deep in parts. The basilica and the Duke's palace next door made for a few hours gawping at how opulently thing were built back in the grand old days and we spent the afternoon wandering a few other museums.

Venice was just so pretty and strange looking at the same time. It was like a dream in some ways. It would have been a great city to visit as it stands but added to that is the fact it exists surrounded in water (and sinking fast) made it unreal.

We were lucky to visit when we did. There were a lot of tourists but we can only imagine what it is like in Summer- yuk. Just a few steps back from the marked out tourist path parts of the city were eerily quiet. It is as though either the cost of living in the city or the massive amounts of tourists have driven locals out of much of the town. The fact that the buildings are very run down (it looks so romantic) adds to the feeling of a ghost town at times.

On our way out of Italy we stopped in on Verona to check out at least one other town however briefly. It was a Friday and everyone was out for lunch. The town was truly bustling and felt really nice to wander about. We had a quick lunch, checked out Juliet's balcony (and the tourists rubbing Juliet's left breast in hope of new love) and headed onwards to Switzerland.

Photos: The Grand Canal, A much smaller canal, St Mark's square under water (it is still gushing in), Adam with pigeons, Adam- the walking wounded