In the morning we got up and got some coffee, then headed to St Mark’s Square. It was amazing! It was also incredibly hot and bright. I was still struggling with dizziness, but that wasn’t going to stop me from looking and exploring.
We had lunch at a pasta to go place where you can choose your pasta and your topping. So yummy! I got pasta negro – squid ink with calamari.
Becky and I split from the guys and did some wandering and shopping. It was super fun, and honestly a relief to be aware from the judgy eyes of the male, shopping-hating Blackett boys. I bought some Venice glass rings, and some glass pendants to make earrings with. I also got an Italian leather bag to replace my cross shoulder bag that was falling apart. Bargain! Becky also bought me some amazing earrings. Time with my friend was so good for my soul. What a gift to share life, to share history, to share pain and joy, to share fun, and jokes, and a love of a good deal.
We met back up with the guys – they had gone to a park – once of the few bits of actual land in Venice. There is not much greenery in Venice because it’s all built on water and not actual land. Venice is such an incredible place. No vehicles. It certainly has its issues, but I loved it!
Enjoyed a bit of time in the Convent cooling down. I was feeling quite ill.
We headed out for more wandering and eventually went back to St Mark’s Square with the intention of attending mass. We were quite early so Graeme and Zane went back to the Convent to put on trousers. We thought about sitting in the square and having drinks but they were crazy expensive.
We found a shady spot to wait by a fountain. It turns out that there was an early time of prayer so we went in for that. People doing penance with their Hail Marys being led by a priest. We sat next to an old lady who obviously knew the priests and was the loudest prayer, she even corrected the priest a time or two, and gave me some side eye, but I bet she’s the heart and soul of the place. It was still a little bit until mass, but we all decided we had had enough so didn’t stay for mass.
Hail Mary prayer in Italian:
Ave, o Maria, piena di grazia, il Signore è con te.
Tu sei benedetta fra le donne
e benedetto è il frutto del tuo seno, Gesù.
Santa Maria, Madre di Dio, prega per noi peccatori,
adesso e nell’ora della nostra morte. Amen.
We headed out to find a place to have a drink and sit and talk. We ended up in a square with the hospital – Scuola Grande di San Marco and Basilica dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo. Becky and I had Spritz Hugo – new fav drink:
3 oz Prosecco
2 oz Elderflower Liqueur such as St. Germain
1 oz soda water
2 lime slices
1 sprig mint
Colin had Spritz Lemoncello, Graeme had a beer, and the boys had sodas. We asked for tap water as well and the waiter said that he would have to go ask his manager. He came back with one small glass of tap water. It was a lovely time. My dizziness became slight buzzedness and I felt better than I had in days. We wandered back and Graeme bought us pastries along the way – sfogliatella — an Italian layered, flaky pastry, that is shaped like a lobster tail and has a sweet filling. We’ve all managed to get mosquito bites.
Bed time.
Lamppostings 