Not too sure where I was, near the Arsenal and near the gardens and everywhere in between. Near to the Architecure and Space exhibition but at the wrong end of it on the Bridge of Thoughts that led to the exit rather than the entrance. I could not find the entrance but hope to tomorrow. Cannot find my thoughts, I think I left them in the canal beneath the bridge. If I manage to get back there tomorrow perhaps I will find them.

The immensity of history, art, architecure, knowledge, buildings, little canals, tiny bridges, big canals big bridges, glass works, paper works, churches, squares, tiny alley ways that lead to beautiful courtyards, tiny alley ways that lead nowhere. Gondoliers in traffic jams, gondoliers waiting for their fares. Working boats bringing load upon load of concrete to mend an old house, empty bins, bring in seafood and fill the market stands with fresh fruit and bread. Laundry, brightly coloured and quite blazon in it’s happiness to be hanging from one ancient side of the canal. alley way or street to another. So busy, busy busy. But there are quiet places and in those quiet places we shall paint.

Walking along to the public gardens I find athis man dead and thrown by the sea to the waters edge. Who was the sculptor, when was he made?  The man with no name, perhaps I will find it somewhere when I find my thoughts.

I haven’t had much success with stopping to paint. I left my brushes behind at the flat. So lots of walking, getting lost and eating hte best icecream ever. Until my niece Rosie told me today that she had even better icecream this afternoon. Oh she must tell us where it is.

I know I should be more informative about Venice and tell you so much more than I am in this blog. But bit by bit it will be revealed.

Rosie and I arrived late afternoon on Sunday and were on the 9am train from Mira to Ferrovia Station in Venice the following morning. Rosie is an intrepid explorer and has avidly walked the streets of Venice, we are thinking that after four days she may have paced nearly all of them and covered most of the tiny bridges and the bigger ones. She is my walking oracle, or should I say our walking oracle she is helping me plan the trip for the week. It is sure to be a good one.

This is where we started our morning in Mira Mirana straight to the station in Venice in 25 minutes.

Hisako arrived today and tomorrow we are going to paint in some of the places we have chosen for the week, as long as I don’t leave my brushes behind we will be alright.

I am sorry it has been so long since I have written. I have been busy, so busy!

I will try my best to be a better blogger! A Bientot.