Cicchetti Walk in Venice

www.monicacesarato.com Along with our cooking classes we did a guided walk as an introduction to Venetian street food one evening. We made our way down to Pizzale Roma and walked over a glass bridge ... very spooky walking on glass steps..some of which were broken...a funky 80's twist in an ancient city of some 440 bridges. On the other side we were meet by Monica for a 3 hr excursion. It was worth paying that bit extra for a private guide as she walked us to 4 Osterias in different quarters of Venice. I loved the ancient Jewish ghetto from the 1500's. This was the worlds first Ghetto which was infact was a safe haven for the Jewish community, a word which has been adopted around the world with different meanings attached. We saw the fist bank. Banco in Italian means table and they would bring the table to the footpath and trade. They could only lend money to their own as the government was restricting their wealth. This lead to money only being lent to your own religion in other parts of the world. When the table had no money is was referred to as "roto" meaning broken which today is known as bankrupt. The food was accompanied by local wines, each Osteria has exclusive wines and it is sold "loose" which means you can bring along a container and have it filled with Rosso or Bianca table wine for very little. The wine by the glass was 80 euro cents or 1 litre for $3 euro. The food was small plates that each Osteria was known for. As Venetian 's were merchants they knew that samples were the way to encourage people to buy there product.... By making small plates of food they keep the men there longer and they tried more wine. There was many dishes varying in cost between 1 and 2 euros, some using unsalted bread as the base toped with either cheese, meats, proccutio or tomato. Among the best flavours we tried were.... bread with a blue Gorgonzola with walnuts.....polpette di carne which was a small meatball with parsley. Parmesan and egg to bind crumbed and fried......polpette Melanzane which was eggplant filled with soft cheese and crumbed..... Stock fish or Baccala is dried cod originating from Norway which is rehydrate for 24. 48 hr then beaten to a pulp and rehydrate with olive oil to make it a moose of sorts. But seriously a piece of old dried fish rehydrated, beaten on a rock even with the addition of olive oil still tasted as you would imagine!!! Taste sensation 2 ...didn't say it was good either was....cuttlefish fish cooked in Squid ink that was so thick it had a Perkins paste texture with a very fishy smelly served on boring tasteless white gluey polenta hmmmm hmm don't have to do that again. One of the other places we went was a uni bar so between 5 and 7 pm each night if you bought a wine for 5 euros per glass you could eat all you eat at the open buffet as long as the glass had wine in it....it was heaving the students and in a dead end ally with the canal as the backdrop. Another plate I tried was Sarde in Saor....and have added it to the "don't do it again list" was sweet and sour sardines which with a look form Sandy I knew she was not even going to go there, but as a good taste test dummy I just had to try.... The next place was great. We had some really good meatballs. Polpette piccanti....Here is the recipe 500 gms minced meats of choice, 1 egg, grated carrot, chopped handful of celery, parsley, chilli to taste and rosemary. Soak 3 small slices of old bread in milk, squeezed out and the combine all. Smash an old bread roll into crumbs and coat drop into oil to fry. Bread in Italy is made with no preservatives or salt so after 1 day it is uneatable as bread and it is then used as an ingredient in many ways. A cured air dried beef bresaola with ciciotta which is a common cheddar style cheese is worth a try. One for the dishes we were given was a soft cheese on bread called Robiola teamed with asparagus, or local salmon or truffle the smell and flavour of the truffle was fantastic. These guys also had a great cellar and we had some wonderful Amarone Bio 2006 Cantina Negar for 8 euro a glass. As I wore my Australia leather country hat I was a crowd stopper in the back streets and had my photo taken next to a wine barren in a tiny lane way by inquisitive fun loving locals who thought I was the original crocodile Dundee....must have been the wine.

Cooking With Maria

www.bb-sanstae.com
       Start time 10 am for a 1pm luncheon.
Maria is real and full of information and in her home we had a private class, she is an artist and a art teacher also has her own B & B which has 2 rooms between 80 to 110 € The rooms were simple but all you would need if you were in Venice for a couple of days. Her preparation was perfect and she was so organised and today we are learning a menu and how to prepare it in the stages required to get it on the table as required for a dinner party.
      The menu for today will serves 4
Asparagus Omelette
Risotto of Prawns & Artichokes
Baked Sea Bass with Cherry Tomato, capers, olives and potatoes
Tiramisu
     TIRAMISU In a medium bowl beat the 3 egg yokes with 3 tablespoons sugar until foamy.
Softy combine it with 250 grams of mascarpone cheese. Set aside In are large bowl
whisk the 3 egg whites until they have stiff peeks.
Hand fold whites into the yoke mixture and fold from the bottom to the top don't over work.
Combine 1 cup coffee + 1 small glass brandy, quickly dip 12 ladyfingers one at a time. They should absorb some liquid without being mushy. Lady fingers biscuits should still snap. Place some of the semi soaked fingers in a large serving bowl or 4 separate small bowls + a layer some of the mascarpone mousse and repeat, chris cross the fingers and finish with the mascarpone mousse.
Mix 2 teaspoons cocoa and coffee powder and in a sifter sprinkle over the top of the tiramisu place in fridge for at least 2 hours. You can freeze them and defrost them in the fridge several hours prior to eating.
       So with the Tiramisu in the fridge now its time for a bit of a house wander, I do get itchy feet and need to look around these amazing places, this terrace is about 250 year old so new on Venetian standards and is on the 3rd and 4th floor with her own extra top floor attic and more small stairs out to a typical Venetian terrace made out of timber and not cut into the roof but sits on top of the roof "Altana" . From the ground you would see them a lot, it looks like they put brick piers up and then toped it with a timber platform some looked a bit scary. Maria's was about 16m/2 so enought room for a small table and 2 chairs and all around the railing was terracotta pots with her herbs, some tomatoes and a couple of flowers. She would dearly love a small garden but land is just not available in Venice for such an extravagance.
        So back to the kitchen to start on the Risotto with Prawns & Artichokes Rice
In the Middle Ages it was light and easy to transport and store along with the dry ingredients. It was filling and easy to combine with other fresh ingredients once you got to the next place to set up camp. Carnaroli Rice is traditional in Italy for a risotto but in Australia we have arborio if you can't get carnaroli. A rice with the most starch is the best style of rice for a risotto as it gives a creamy finish without becoming to mushy, but must be alway stirred during the cooking to bring out that creaminess. Best if stock is prepared and a good risotto needs a good stock.
        So to start the prawn and veggie stock
Into 3/4 Lt. water in a big pot place 1/2 glass dry white wine, big pinch sea salt, 1/2 celery stem, 2 medium carrots, 1 bay leaf, 1 sprig thyme, 5 crush pepper corns, 4 cloves pressed into 1 small onion cut in 1/2, parsley stalks, cut all into biggish chunks + heads and shells of the 600 grams of fresh prawns required. Get on heat bring to boil then simmer for 30 mins let cool abit and drain, discard solids, keeping the warm prawn and veggie stock on the side of the stove top. Get the peeled prawns and cut in 1/2 along the length to conserve the shape as rice is small so you don't want a big bit of prawn,set prawns aside. Prepare 2 artichokes taking off the hard outer leaves ( you could use zucchini or asparagus but as these are soft vegies add towards the end of the cooking process ) cut in 1/4 and soak in water with lemon to stop oxidisation till needed.  In a heavy bottom pan on medium heat add 4 tablespoons of olive oil drop in 1 medium leek the white bits finely chop for 2min,s than add artichokes squeeze out the lemon water first, add to the leeks and cook for another 3 mins until the moisture is gone and the leeks are becoming clear, don't brown, a risotto is soft and clean never dark or over heated. Add 1/2 glass dry white wine and 2 cups of the rice, combine on the heat for a another 1 min seat aside to be cooked after the main course is in the oven. Pre heat oven to 200c cook 1kg 40 mins 1/2kg 25 min So for the mains Baked Sea Bass (venice local fish from the canal) with Cherry Tomato, olives, potatoes and capers (small salted ones are the best from Sicily if possible )
So in a large roasting pan add 3 tablespoons olive oil and put 1 kg of nearly cooked sliced buttery style of potatoes on oil, place the whole Bass about 1kg or you could use rock fish or sea bream, 300 grams cherry tomatoes cut in 1/2, 50 grams olives also cut in 1/2, small handful washed capers, 2 cloves whole garlic, sprinkle Q B dry oregano, 2 bay leaves, pinch salt and a splash more olive oil with 1/2 glass white wine. Bake for 35 /40 mins if the skin looks too dry spoon some of the oil and white wine mix over the fish. Turn off the oven and leave fish in the heat until service time So while the fish is cooking its back to risotto. Return the stock to the heat and once up to heat then put the risotto back on to a medium heat stir continually for starch to come out, set timer for 20 mins adding in small ladles of the warm stock at a time as required never flood the risotto. If all works to plan it will take all the stock to finish the risotto if the rice is still under cooked next time make more stock but for now get some hot water and warm white wine to finish if required as they say in Italy refer to the good old QB so now you need the second person to finish the risotto while the 1st course of the mini Asparagus Omelette are being prepared Get your 20 asparagus cut into 50mm pieces keeping the heads separate. Drop the bottom bits into a pot with butter and a bit of olive oil and a splash of water for about ten minute. For the last 1 minute drop in the asparagus tips Put in a bowl 3 eggs + 2 pinch salt and pepper whisk, then add 3 tablespoons pecorino cheese grated and mix, now add 100 grams ricotta cheese again mix slightly with a fork then add hot asparagus. Heat a little 150mm frying pan with a drop of some olive oil put in some of the mixture cook until lower side is firm then turn and cook the other side. Than Maria says " Allola" meaning Than, Ok , is that fine lets eat ect ect. So the Asparagus Omelette is served and demolished as our antipasto For firsts the Risotto of Prawns & Artichokes was Devine if I say so myself and for this style seafood risotto it is served with some lemon juice and NOT Parmesan Seconds is the Baked Sea Bass with Cherry Tomato, capers, olives and potatoes it was so moist yum yum yum Desert of Tiramisu hmmmm lovely but for me, its to creamy, I'm a savoury boy! So with lunch over we leave and head back to our apartment, via the long way, a real long way to see some more of Venice as well as walk off lunch. 2 hours later and back home where does the time go ready to sit back and watch the world float by on the Grand Canal once more.

Cooking With Enrico Or Sex In The City Venetian Style

So as Sandy mentioned Enrico Rocco is rather a celebrity in the food circles of Italy. So I was looking forward to seeing how and where a cooking "celeb" would live in Venice. We left our apartment bound for the other side of the main island of Venice, via our Vaperetto stop to the Vap stop on the other side of the Grand Canal, than a 15min walk. You could see her stop some 200 m down the canal but like all in Venice you may be able to see it but it is not always a straight route to get there! Hence so many Vap stops and some being so close to each other but just on the other side of the canal. This however is not always that easy as some Vaps go only one way and the other Vaps only go the other. Plus to make it even that little bit more complicated they don't always stop at all the Vap stops anyway!!! So after a day or so the tourist with a weekly ticket (us) will get the hang of it. For 50€ each is money well spent as a single ticket for 75min can cost 7€ for a tourist orrrrr 1.30€ if you look in a non tourist Vap stop, I just new that there had to be a locals price somewhere. It ended up a lot of fun using the Vaps and the Vaps weren't always as crowded as the one from last weeks recky adventure. They certainly give your calf and toe mussels a work out trying to grip to the boat as it stops and started like bucking bull rearing to get out of the gates. I figure we got our money's worth as we went around the Grand Canal several time and to the outer island of Munaro twice some 30 min away and a trip to Lido 20min in the other direction, just riding and enjoying the sights, we never tired of the scenery on and off the Vaps. I did see some freeky s--t sometimes, so eyes down and heads forward!!! But mostly very safe and you also got to see some beautiful and kind sights as the local oldies this is the only way to get around so they were helped on and off by staff and passengers. So we arrive to Enrico Rocco's Ferrari red front door from a very narrow Calla with the walls reaching up 3stories above and the slit of sun light that would be able to reach the cobbles below for a few minuets a day. We are greeted by Anne the cutest little French lady with the whole sexy French thing "going on" as she walked us up the internal steps in her "O" so French brunch coat dressy thing, basically from a boys perspective was a stripy blue and cream bag with elastic at the neck and at the hem line just above the knee and yep I,m sure it would have coat a bundle and she wore that bag "well" and the shoes were stiletto bootish things! partly open with lace socks and a draw string and a tassels to stop them disappearing down into the boots, very practical for a cooking class may be not but she was french and she did still managed to do some cooking stuff and she was loads of fun to watch. Well I couldn't let all that french "ooze" go to waste now could I! Enrico was more hmmm how can I say it, distant and a bit aloof but oh so charming perhaps a couple too many bubbles in the afternoon with the other two girls or just a bit to much on her mind, but she was a wealth of information. She also dressed to kill and with jewels that were so funky and a BIG diamond probably 1.5 carrots set into a black metallic disk some 30mm dia. She would open a drawer and hunt for some thing she needed with a dam dam dam when did I put that? Emma was the practical one, the one that kept the whole show on the road with loads of skills and actually gets her hands dirty in a veggie garden in South Africa, sure she said she has help and at 300 € a month for a helper why wouldn't you, but you can just tell the she herself has came from the grass roots and is very connected with the earth and a hard worker. What a funky modern apartment it was and so much fun from the onset. It was Enrico's family palace from bygone generations which has now been turned into 17 apartments that some of her extended family still live in, as well as some rented out for income for the family. Her apartment was once the laundry. Her stepmother still lives in a sector and is still of the very old fashion life with help provided from a past and current wealth. Enrico's apartment is on the top floor and all the internal walls were removed and a loft bedroom space was created another floor up. The kitchen was in the double storied area and the lounge was under the mezzanine. Up stairs in the bed area, well I did have to use the loo soon after I got there, it was mostly glass and over looks the bottom area and the shower was completely open to view, perhaps not a family apartment and that suited her to the tee. Also at the top of the stairs looking over the proceeding below was a mannequin with a amazing big Venice ball gown that she has for carnivaley. Enrico is in her mid 50's and has been through 2 marriages, and well she said she likes men but just doesn't want them around all the time. She travels extensively between England and Venice and around the world for her food passion. The apartment was like a bachelor pad but for a woman!! Both the other 2 girls were also between marriages! It was a bit like Sex In The City Venice style with our private cooking class thrown into the boiling pot! They all went out of there way and made it so much fun and perhaps a few to many bubbles but a nice drop of 2012 Sangiuseppe DOCG of course. We worked around a 4m x 2m solid timber island bench of which we also sat on bar stools of the brightest yellow, green, blue and red dyed hairy animal hides that looked they may have come from Africa. On the floor was a zebra rug, yes so not "PC" and sitting on the zebra's back was a long modern glass table 900mm height and housed a collection of cooking books and glass from Munro. Yep yep I know, but it was there on the floor and we can't bring the poor thing back now, so all one can do is admire and respect what once was! The art work on the walls were also full of colour and very abstract, one big arched window on the back wall that filled the height of most of the 2 stories that just flood the whole space with light. There were several small double opening windows on both sides of the apartment and these were the typical windows and of historical value and were of original theme that had to be maintained in these locations and they viewed the old palaces courtyard garden the calla and the small canal below. The Bubbles and wine were DOCG as Enrico is passionate about protecting the italian wine and food industry if not the "african wild life" and it stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata Garrentie Demographic Original Controlled Guarantee This is so the consumer is aware that the wine is from a registered producer, that is has to come from and has been produced in the correct area that it should be grown and that is controlled and policed, it is of the original style of manufacture and of the correct variety of grape. This also has weight with food, cheeses and balsamic vinegars also DOP Enrico's commented that eating well these days is becoming so expensive, but it does not have to be expensive if you utilise all your ingredients. They waste nothing, all older veggies and the off cuts from seafood and meats are turned into vege, fish or meat stocks for later meals, you never throw away the flavour base. All older bread is turned into bruschetta, into bread gnocchi or crumbed, fresh Italian bread has no shelf life if its is baked in the morning it is a brick by the next, so most people bake there own bread at lunch time for dinner that night sure in the il supermercato you can get a commercial style for a sandwich which is available but you buy this in bags of 6 to 10 pieces and it is with out the crusts. So as we prepared the dinner refer to Sandy's notes for the menus the sun set by 9 pm it is now a respectable time for a Venetian and their guest to sit and enjoy good food wine and conversation. Ciao Ciao

Enricos Class from Sandy's perspective

Enrico is rather a celebrity in the food circles of Italy. The night we arrived at her house she had a friend and chef visiting form Paris along with her chef from schools she runs in South Africa so there was Peter and I and 3 very experiences chefs with lots of knowledge. It was an over load there were variations and possibilities on every ingredient and it was decided on the fly as we all agreed to try some new variations . Enrico was leaving in 2 days to be with BBC4 and the Italian consulate to do a food tour of Bassilata. She is passionate about the area and its produce along with that of Venice....and Italy on the whole. As it was apparent from the start that we had extensive food knowledge and experience the class took on more the feel of experimenting with friends that a structured class. There were no recipes just flexibility and a sharing of knowledge. Needless to say it was a graze fest with tastes all Italian of course. We cooked with the reddest prawns we have ever seen from Sicily say the eat the red coral they make a beautiful soup with a prawn bisque from the shells and simmering the prawns in at the end. Topped off with a mint that is only Venetian somewhere between spearmint and basil. The bisque is made by frying onions in garlic and olive oil with some lemon peel and italian mint with wine and water, simmering all heads tails ect for 30 min them blitzing and passing though a very fine sieve....this is best popped in fridge for 24 hrs and when rewarming just bring back to heat and cook the prawns in it. It is the season for asparagus and they are so big and fantastic we really do not see them to this quality. We had a great little asparagus cream started served in a tiny coffee cup..... Very Italian. We cleaned and cooked the freshest seafood, little squids, a piece for tuna and lovely little red mullets the fish we marinated in olive oil lemon and garlic and cooked on a flat plate. The squid we cleaned and with no regard the intestines were tossed out the window in the canal below....an interesting thing to do and that seemed to be where all the organic waste went ....to feed the fish....kind of explainers the colour of the sand at Lido beach! Anyway back to the cooking. We made a great anti pasta plate consisting of grilled and stuffed eggplant rolls. We stuffed them with ricotta, lemon zest, Parmesan, olive oil, parsley, salt and pepper and just rolled them and served them cold. Then we prepared a plate of Purple tiny exclusive to Venice artichokes couldn't decide which be would be best so we do them 2 ways. They both started with peeling them, then cooking them in salted water for 15 min till they softened .cutting them in 1/4 once cooled enough to handle ..they are very woody even the small ones. They have no fur inside as they are so young. The first batch we covered in a paste of basil, garlic, parsley , olive oil, bread crumbs and Parmesan then they were baked in the oven for 20 mins ...these are the best artichokes we have had. The second ones were fried off with a little oil and garlic very simple topped with parsley and served warm. Next were the peas, they were divine all we did was peel some huge peas and really finely dice some white onion. The onion was just sweated down and the peas were added and the pot was turned down and a lid popped on no water just the gentlest of heat and they released their own juice and in 15 mins or so they were just so sweet. Top with a sprinkle of parsley and serve. The tuna was just diced finely for a tartan and with a flourish of olive oil and should we mention a splash of amazing Japanese soy sauce the only ingredient we have seen to date that is not italian.....and it was ready. To our taste really not as good a tuna as we get, it was tougher, soft pink and fishy oiler taste ... on this product we are spoilt! All topped up with bubbles and white wine. I will leave all the gossip to Peter he is having such fun with his blog!

The Tide is Higher

The weather had turned even worst, my what I thought waterproof umbrella was internally leaking from the consistent rain, I got so wet but what the heck I'm in Venice so by the time I start to head back I decided to go past our local deli, well not so much that I decided but the powers out of my control landed me at there front door, I do so love surprises, so I picked up some supplies for the day milk, fruit, some several different styles of rovoletti, some pesto take them to the checkout lady and practise some italian on her "bongorno bella, coome ee star" she giggles and I think I was better at saying "morning beautiful, how are you" than I was the other day as she replied "benee benee" and rattled of some more words so with my hands on my chest and with my usual bowed head saying Gratzie Gratzie, I whisk away, well splosh away. Sandy is please or surprised to see me so we settled for a day on the lounge playing cards with our view of the Grand Canal. Had our own moka coffee pot and some Italian coffee + some kalour that was smuggled back onto the cruise in plastic diet coke bottles so the afternoon just slipped by. Until we started to here the sounds of water splashing under our jetty, well by the time we had noticed the water it was over our jetty. If you have been paying attention to my blogs the top level of the jetty was at the same level as the corridors to our room, but some 8 m away and slightly sloping to the jetty, thank goodness but also remember we were 1step down into our room, hmmmm I said to Sandy that I think we are now under sea level. It was so interesting to see how much the Grand Canal is affected by the tide, yes it was still pouring with rain but not that much rain to make the Adriatic Ocean rise about 1 m. We watch the water as one would watch an open fire as it is so mesmerising well it's better than Italian TV! Still so may stories on the New Pope and the other day I think we watched a bit of a movie from a past Pope or it may be a doco on the new one as I did see the smoke change from grey to white and the fanfare that followed!!!! Come on Pete focus, the waters rising and everyone what's to know what happen next, get to the point. For those who have sat at a dinner party with me would know why get to the point when there are so many possible stories to tell and so few hours to tell them in! So by now the water is lapping the bottom of the lounges (joking just making sure you were paying attention). But I go into the corridor and can now see the water coming under the jetty doors as the boats go past and makes extra waves, I turn around and head to the back courtyard to where there is a door bell for the Family that live up stairs and the butler answers, everyone here has a butler as you do! Mind you he is also the gardner and what ever them upstairs so requires him to do. He was from Sri Lanka and I meet him the other day sweeping the courtyard and tried to crack up a conversation, he start with cricket and thought I was a cricket Captain, god only know which one he thought I looked like but to him he said us Aussies all look to same "what the". So cricket was not my choice of conversation so I started on the garden and his life here in Venice. So is that truly a conversation or me being my typical self and nosey, asking just too many interrogating questions. He also lives here but in the 4th floor, the top floor, which is saved for the hired help, but his room for he and his wife is at the back so can't see the Grand Canal. He get about 1000€ a month and has good health cover and food and a roof over their heads, and for this he and his wife are able to send money back to their country to support their 6 year old son and his parents that care for the kid. We are so lucky in Australia! but these workers truly believe they are lucky to be able to support their families all be it from the other side of the world and they get to see their children for 1 month a year kinda breaks your heart! So I say into the intercom Hibjamfloatadoora or something like that, how high will the canal get today before I should ring the state emergence services? With a head wobble I'm sure and a oh s--t probably was a good interoperation to the tone of his voice, so with in seconds he was like a flash down the marble stairs to our courtyard and with a look of urgency. He started up the corridor and opens a door just prior to ours and of course I'm in like Finn to see what was behind this door, just a store room but very medieval looking and from the beams on the roof that match our room it is apparent this was how our little apartment had started life some several hundred years ago, a gondolas garage under the main house. Mind you then the floor level/water was 2 meters lower. Hibjamfloatadoora grabs a stainless steel plate some 800 x 500mm and start to make his way to our door, this plate is specially made to fit into the stainless steel brackets that are retro-fitted to our door jam so with the rubber seals also in place and with a click of a button the flood gates are erected and I don't need to call out the SES. Gratzie Gratzie and he disappears back upstairs. So it's back to the lounge and wait to see how high the high tide will get. It was only a low high tide so the water didn't quite make it into our apartment, but in the past by the tell tale signs that a cabinetmaker can pick up it has been in there before, andapparently there is no flood insurance for the bottom floors in Venice

The Tide Is High

In the words of "Blonde" The Tide is high and I'm losing control !!! So it's true Venice is sinking, no s--t shirlick as a friend Anette would say. I was just hoping it would wait a few more hundred years to do it, but no, why wait, why not today, let show these tourist what we have to put up with, the real Venice that the real people live in. The population of Venice is only 50,000 people so when you consider that in area of some 660 islands there are not a lot of people that actually live there any more, it is just over run by the tourists. San Marco square is an example during the day you would be lucky to put a cigarette paper between the crowds but come late night or in the early mornings you can be on your own. The other morning it was raining and sooo windy I went out for my early morning walk, Sandy had been feeling a bit under the weather, so I thought I'm in Venice, I need to explore some more, even on my own, I can't get too lost, I've got a map and my Vaporetto tickets so I'll be back later, she kissed me goodby like I was not coming back!!! Besides I really need to walk of some of the good life that we had on the cruise. I head out, we are only 267 steps to the San Emanuele Vaporetto stop, our local which can then takes 10 mins to get to San Marco or if I can remember the way only about 15mins walk through a maze of little Calla's and Campo's. So dressed with my wind jacket and my "new"so neat venetian neck scaff and my umbrella in hand looking like a real local, well with out my nee length gun boots, I new I should have packed a pair, I head out, alone. My umbrella was to wide to open up fully for the first few hundred steps, so with my semi erection (of the umbrella) over my head I was so please my wind jacket was at least a little bit water proof. It was a sight to see, me fighting with my semi erection, with the wind in my hair whirling up our small Calla Lezze but I was determined to head out and see the quiet side of Venice without the tourist, and come to that, without the locals also. Don't even think the locals were to keen to be out that morning. So over several of the 400 odd bridges and over a couple twice or perhaps three times ?? but I do think in different directions sometimes, but let's not get to bogged down on the boring details. Venice for me was like a fish swimming in a fish bowl I could go round and round in circle's and still seeing something different, this is heaven for me as I always get lost, at least I'm seeing new things even if in the same places. I have no sense of direction and some days Sandy would just walk with me, and as she would say, humour me?? To see the excited expression on my face when I would fined our way somewhere, she said life is never boring watching me getting lost some days. So maybe the kiss this morning she really did say goodby. But alas, I do returno to our apartmento said with my new Italian accent. It may have been 3 and 1/2 hours later but I never stopped walking. Venice is a bigger than one thinks my fish bowl was quite big, and so interesting some many doors and some many that look the same, all that makes them different is that little number just above them but only one 3316 so with a process of elimination and several hours I did returno. San Marco square was empty when I was there perhaps everything and everyone was blown away, and I have a picture to prove it actually several and in different locations to, woo hoo.

Mushroom Risotto Fontana Del Papa Style and Sandy twist

One of the recipes that we learnt to make at Del Papa was a Mushroom Risotto. Its not so much the ingredient it's more the technic and the other night we were looking for a night in, this whole holiday thing can be soooo exhausting. Some days my feet are just killing me and I have developed the dreaded "CSFS" cobble stone feet syndrome. CSFS can be a major problem for Aussie tourist in Italy and the only cure is a night in or a night out at a local Bar ( small stand up spot for food or drink could be as small as only in a doorway with a small bench and also serves a coffee ) but some are much bigger Osteria ( slightly bigger than a Bar with wine barrel or 2to sit at and serves Cicchetti which are small foods to have with a drink and the drinks are barrel wines that you can take a plastic bottle to and have them filled, not DOCG but great cheep and fun wines and local to the region ) Trattoria ( larger and is still informal spot mamma cooking with more meal & wine options ) Restaurantie ( most expensive with all the trimmings and the bill to match, and soon worth it if you jag a good one ) If you choose any of the latter i:e a night out you still have to get back to your accommodation and that always involves a lot more walking in small little Calla over a lot more cobbles. That in its-self can be more of a problem as being a bit tipsy can have its own issues also! But as some of the Calla are so narrow you just bounce from side to side. Well this is what I have noticed!!!! as I have had to dodge some oncoming locals after a night out. So this is how we were taught and further below is Sandy's first practice attempt and new recipe with her twist So Fontana Del Papa style first Bring water approx 1 litre to the boil and drop in a handful of mixed mushrooms. cook for 30 mins, this creates a soft mushroom stock. In an open pan add olive oil fry a little speck and 1/2 a finely chopped white onion when fragrant and the onion is starting to clear, never brown, stir in 500 gms arborio rice. Once coated start adding the hot mushroom stock a small ladle at a time and stir constantly. This should take about 20mins. A risotto needs to always move so the starch is released from the rice and becomes more creamy. When the moisture has taken into the rice add more stock do this and keep stirring until the rice has absorbed all the liquid and the texture is to the tooth. Add back the mushrooms and serve. This is a lighter flavour and yep I think needed the Sandy flavour boost. Now for Sandy's "Risotto 3316 Calla Lezze" 3316 Calla Lezze is the address of our some days "below water line" little apartment on the Grand Cannel "but that's another story". With a very limited kitchen both is size and utensils, lets me paint you a picture I could post a picture BUT I still cant work that one out, someone help please!!! I'm sooooo IPad dumb. So if you had a bench 1200mm long, with a 2 pot cook top (electric) much to sandy's discuss a single bowl sink no drainer + a microwave that leaves a total space of between the cooker and the sink of 87mm to do food prep. So it's out with the microwave to at least get some space to put a chopping board. A tad small but we are on the Grand Cannel and with all those restaurants out there why would anyone wont to cook!!! Sandy was missing having a knife in her hand obversely. So we went to the little local supamarketo and found a roasted lamb shank, some dried porcini mushrooms, amazing fresh peas, garlic, onion, rice and lemon. Pinched some rosemary from the courtyard. So its back to the kitchen.... First strip the bone of its meat and put the bone , knuckle and gristle into a pot with the porcini, rosemary stalks, black pepper and 2 unpeeled crushed garlic cloves, cover with 1 litre water and simmer 1/2 hr then add 2 cups white wine and bring back to a simmer. A-har I new there would have to be wine in there somewhere. Fry onion in a pan with some oil and butter and add rice to coat. Strain the stock adding it into the rice mixture till you happy with the result add the peas and meat and cook for a further 2 mins serve with lemon zest, some rosemary leaves and a few blobs of Gorgonzola on top. Bellmissimo your are star Sandy xxx

Our Grand Canal Appartment

So as mentioned our water taxi dropped us at the small timber dock and we walk the 20m to the small cobble paved "Campo" (small local square) next to the Vaperetto stop for S. Samuele which will be our local transport for the nexta weeka and yes yes I will have to pull my head in and take public transport OMG or we will be soooo broke before the weeks done!!! We are meet by a young Asia lady that spoke great English who works for www.viewsonvenice.com check out or apartment it is Ca Samuele 1 bedroom.They have some 80 apartments on their books for lease and sale so I'm thinking they are more a real estate office come holiday renters. But as all the palaces and cellars were taken for the next week with their commission it's got to be pretty good business. She was very helpfully with the info as we walked the 300m to the 2 large solid black doors with deep carving and steel studs of the courtyard that houses THE family up stairs and us paying guest at water level. Either side of the internal courtyard had 7 foot high garden gnomes from the 17th century a hand missing here a ear missing there, really guys with all that money your making couldn't you look at getting some new ones!!! Thought the 60 m/2 courtyard with it white marble pots some as tall as me beautifully maintained topiary and white petunias surrounded by 4 story old walled other apartments that looked into our courtyard, then its up a 10m long very low corridor with a arched glass double door at the far end to our little private jetty on the Grand Canal. OMGG Just before the end was our door on the left, it was a soft yellow flat door with soft green vine leaves painted on it, so cute. On entering the apartment we step down I step to a white marble tile floor. In front of us a kitchenette towards our right the lounge and to the back our bedroom and bathroom. All very compact but very well appointed. Our lady leaves and with more instruction and a contact no. If we have a emergency you know a flood or something feel FREE to call me Hmmmmmm. On first look all was fairly normal 2 beautiful narrow windows either side of the lounge room for That View, we lay on our 2 lounges admiring the view when we notice that the windows that are 500mm above the floor have a retro-fitted addition of another 400mm of glass on the outside that has been siliconed into place on the window sills Hmmm. As Sandy explores the kitchenette or the lack of it, I head out to the jetty, now the word jetty does conger up a bigger space , but no it's about big enough to put 2 kitchen chairs on and have a coffee, so we do. Sitting on our little platform over the Grand Canal watching the world go by, well floating by. The sound of the vaperetto,s crashing into the dock some 200m up stream toward S. Marco the boats that travel up and down and the passing of several gondoliers singing to their lucky customers, the traffic is like Pitt Street but the noise is somehow calming and great to sit and watch and watch and watch, so we do we do and we keep doing. This platform is at the level of the floor of the corridor and a 200mm step down to the narrow walkway bit that goes just in front of our 2 lounge windows some 600mm wide and 3300mm long the width of the lounge room. The platform and walkway are in timber and covered in a mesh non slip matting which seam to have little bits of seaweed stuck in it.Again Hmmmm. So once we have unpacked its out for the day to explore.

Venice Round 2

We make our way out of the ships terminal and within 100m is the water taxi's temporary cruise ship office and a line of 5 people in front of us. To the other side a line of several hundred people all still heading to the water front for a vaparetto opportunity and all dragging loads of cases. After last weeks vaparetto experience even with out the cases these little black ducks were not going there again. We paid our little man the 80€ in "cash" that was required and within a minute and past all the rest of the crowds a private car whisked in and picked us and our luggage up for the 5 min drive to the waterfront, past still many many more people on foot dragging way to many cases. We are given a receipt and told to look out for water taxi no. 9 and within a minute out in the middle of what looked like the inside of a upright washing machine with little toy boats in it is the water taxi guy with a big sign no. 9 on it. The man at the dock calls out at the top of his voice water taxi no.9, with my returned voice over the many people waiting in a mess of luggage everywhere in front of us a very hearty Aussie voice yelled back "That Will Be Us" to the look of amazement from the other people in line, how did you organise that so quick! The crowd parted like the Red Sea and we make our way through feeling like royalty to the edge of the docks and now more pleased with our € investment. The water is so rough with the reaving and jostling of all the other water taxi waiting to pick up lucky people from the cue, but have to give way to the pre booked people, is, now becoming more and more pleased with our € spending. We are helped on to the pristine timber stretch limo style of water taxi with it's white padded leather seats while some one attends to the luggage. As we bend in half to take a seat at the back of the boat, our driver with the whole sexy italian boating thing going on, I'm telling you by the looks of him they don't employ the ugly ones to drive these water taxi! He looks around and with a big smile and a "hold on" we start to reverse out of the dock with what sounds like an engine that would be big enough to fly us to the moon. We flip round, out of reverse and into a forward motion with the back of the boat dipping well into the water, the white wash pouring out the back and I'm starting to feel like we are in a getaway scene from a James Bond movie with the Grand Canal and Venice in the distance as the setting. Once again our driver looking behind to make sure we are still in one piece and then we really speed off. The 1st section of trip takes about 10mins full spread and the last 10mins at a slower pace as we weave up some of the smaller canals, so it's up and to the front to take some pictures. We travel under some very low bridges and I have to duck on the odd occasion, we come out the other side and into the Grand Canal and arrive at a little timber dock where we and our luggage are helped off, it was so cool I felt like a movie star and the best 80€ I've ever spent.

Disembarking

We arrived back to Venice Saturday 11th May and we sailed in around 7am so the sun was up and about 13deg so we made a cup of tea and watch Venice from our balcony, we could see more of the sights again and recognised more on our way back in. The sights felt very familiar and we don't want to rushed this morning so we are going to sit back and have a relaxed breakfast, wait till the crowds have left the ship prior to disembarking. The whole disembarking, like every thing else went like clock work. 2400 people got off the ship this morning and with several bags each it was just so well organised. From lunch time the day before you can go to the reception hall and on the walls were coloured bag tags, each colour stood for a time to leave the ship in 15 min intervals between 8am & 9.45 and once that time slot was gone you would have to opt for another time. We wanted a 9.45 and got it. The night prior to disembarking we managed to get all our stuff back into 2 cases, you put your bags out side your door by 11pm with your colour tag on them and in the morning once your colour was called you leave the ship to a smile and fond farewell from the crew on the outer deck, out through customs and your bags are waiting in your colour collection area with more staff there to direct you if needed and within 10mins we were set free into Venice to start our next adventure.

Farewell To My Support Team !!!

So today is a sad day, 23 days into the trip and I have run out of my throw away undies! I have been saving up my olds ones for years, you know the one's that seam to find there way to the back of the drawers, holy and stretched and some that you don't even remember owning? That's a worry where did they come from?. Go on admit it, we all have them and they have come along as disposable friends & really handy. Farewell and thanks for the years of "support" Giordano, Jag, Calvin, Bonds and Rio so perhaps I've had them longer than I care to admit myself! They have been so loyal they have never let me "down" so for all their years of service they deserve to be put into retirement overseas. That will makes some space in my cases for a whole new international support team. As for the clothes and shoes that I have packed I have bought away lots of old ones that are just at there us by dates so have been dropping them along as we travel also. I haven't even left the Sydney airport when the 1st one comes back to haunt me. I had a shower just before we were due to leave and thought that my over sized colourful surfboard shirt was best left behind as I didn't want to scare the fashion people on business class. We were 1/2 way down the corridor and I here a voice from behind me saying Mr Moore it appears that you left this shirt in the shower, nope not mine, quick Sandy keep walking, but Mr Moore I'm sure it's yours, hmmm perhaps It could have been so lets donate it to charity then, I'm running late for my plane!!! Since then I have been more cleaver with when I'm leaving my hand me downs. But there is a method to my madness as this will leave space in my suit case when coming home to bring back some new Italian clothes!!!!!Woo Hoo

Last Day At Sea

O dear it was a slow start this morning after the Chefs Table last night and thanks to Mr UK and Mr Spain for the Moët. It would have been just plain rude not to have a couple of glasses! Since the butler went to all that trouble pouring them don't you think! Thank goodness the sea bands work for a hangover also, yes yes it is mind over matter but i'm sure it did help. We left our room at about 1pm to venture out into the day light to the smile and soft greeting of Sir Peter and Madame as we are know by our cabin guy. You got in late did you have a good night and I do hope you enjoyed the Chef Table Dinner. Not much goes by these guys they seam to know more about what your are doing then you do some days. So is it OK for me to make up your state room now Sir Peter, I'm going to miss my cabin man we never wanted for anything. It is so cool you will be walking and this one lady staff member that booked us a table at dinner the first night alway addresses us as Misterrr & Missess Moooore. I said to her one day what a memory she had and she laughed and said that she had a GPS tracker with our names on it.

So Much To Do & More

On the ship all meals are included in the cost unless you wanted to go to one of the "Speciality Restaurants"which cost an extra 15 to 90 US $ per person extra oh and + 15% "auto gratuity" It is a dinner for 12 people only at a large table with wine matching and your own personal chefs. There are loads of the option extra things that you can do if you just want to stay on the ship and treat it like a floating hotel. Deck games chess, shuffle-board, golf practise net, full size basket ball court and a walking track, perhaps I should have used that one more as the waist expansion team have been working over time. They have a adults only deck, great a place to get away from the kids well that was my first thought! Hmmmm but it was the place where the knobs hung out, well everything could and did hand out and get a total all over Mediterranean tan, perhaps a warning sign for the new cruisers would have been in order. They also have a day spa where you can blow some serious money as you are a captive audience and if you have come away without keeping up your beauty appointment they are the people to help. We had dinner with one of the spa user last night. It was like a skit from the black and white minstrel show from the 60's, this guy had opted to have the teeth whitening as well as the sun ray lamp treatment, perhaps they left him in the oven a bit to long. Actually dinner and after dinner turned out to be a whole comedy show actually a 9 hour mini series, this was one of the option extra dinners for only 12 people at The Chefs Table. We had booked it on the first week but would you believe that out of the 2400 people on board that they couldn't get that many so they cancelled that week, so second time around they were queuing to get a place and we were 1st the list because of last week Woo Hoo!!!, The food was amazing and I mean really amazing but I will get to that later, juicy bits first don't you think! It was the eclectic group that graced the table that made it so much fun. So if you ever get a chance to do a cruise and there is a chef table available, go for it, as you well may meet some similar over the top characters that we did. Some who just float the water ways and go from ship to ship as the weather changes or the mood takes them. We arrive to a bar mid ship and start with "bubbles" as you can't call it champagne unless it come from the "Champagne Region Darlings". Opps my first bobo for the night and thanks to couple no. 1, Mr UK & Mr Spain for kindly corrected me!. There was a couple in their 40's from Zurich she was in banking and he was a mystery, never did find out what he did, a kept man I think, but he looked like a mad conductor with his thick shoulder length hair that was combed back from the front and just fell in waves. Perhaps a secret agent from some undercover spy movie, better still the real deal. He had the best Swiss accent with his "R" that just rolled on, so once you got your ear in he was fun to listen to. The table was set with name place cards and was 2 at each end, 4 down the sides so all could be involved in the conversation. Off to our left, as we were at the head of this end of the table, was the big money Chinese threesome, mum and dad with their 50 year old daughter. Mum was very quiet and as she was right next to me so I tried to chat but all we did was a lot of smiling at each other as Sandy was been given a lesson on New Zealand wines from Mr spy. His wife had a posting there for 3 years and as he couldn't speak English before he got there he seamed to have leant enough as he kept Sandy entertained for some time. Next to Mrs Wong was her husband a property developer who retired some 30 years ago and gave all his then 240 employees a house as a going away present, now he lives between England with a english garden, fountain and coy pond and several other countries . Next to him was the daughter who was educated in England and Canada, followed by a single Aussie bloke. G'day mate as he first talks to me, I looked at him and said G'day mate back with a bit of a chuckle, he was from Wollongong and he than said I've got to stop saying that, but nope he kept saying it. His wife didn't come to the dinner as she wasn't a wine drinker, but he sure made up for it. So that leaves the other end of the table to the NYPD guy and his wife they were also retired and in their early 60's. He had a look of one of those sun beaten guys walking the beat, car chasing and gun fighting type as seen on the TV show's and I'm sure if he lifted up his jacket he would still have a gun holster. His wife was so sweet and had a posh accent and got on very well with Mr UK & Mr Spain and that seamed to set the tone for that end of the table for the night. They had a house in the Hampton's "as you do" and would swap between the 2 as the weather directed them. It was at that stage with a bit of tongue and cheek that I did say we have 2 decks one on either side of the house and that we also swap between them depending on the weather, of course! Lots of fun and laughs. Mr UK than said that he had a big Deck and if we would like to come back to his State Room we could all get to have a look at it after dinner. Well with an offer like that how could we all refuse. So more about that later...... So this is what we were served at dinner So as I mentioned we arrived to "bubbles" from Schramsberg, Blanc de Blancs from California. The Amuse Bouche was to highlight the crews molecular gastronome work with a perfect spherical mango, vodka and jalapeño salsa served on a spoon and it burst in your mouth. Their were tomato, basil, curry and a lavender lavish which were as light and flakey as we have ever eaten and very bright in colour. Next was a ahi tuna tartare with a stunning Orange wasabi glaze which was sticky and almost caramelised with a kick. These 3 starters were serve in 3 courses served with a never ending glass of NZ Sav Blanc Matua Valley at this stage it was becoming clear the wine was not so much wine matched as advertised but a free for all!. Next we had an amazing tiny cauliflower flan topped with a crispy beet root and saffron angle hair, it was presented in a soup bowl then the waiter poured the tastiest asparagus and cream soup around it when they were done there were ribbons of cream woven into the soup with the island of cauliflower and beet root...very impressive and fab taste. At this point we changed wines and were given a Chardonnay, Silver Ado from the Nappa Valley. A tiny goat cheese with sundries dried tomato chutney and basil oval tartlet was next which had a great olive tapenade surrounding it and yes more Chardonnay. To give us all a break we had tiny glasses with grapefruit and moscato granite. Then back to it with more Chardonnay and some wonderful pan seared sea bass with was plantain crusted with mango papaya and avocado salsa finished with a wonderful lobster velouté...more Chardonnay.... Now getting more serious we were served a perfectly cooked milk feed veal chop with sautéed potatoes and spinach with a truffle jus and at long last a Red wine.... Franciscan Cab Sav 2010 from California's Nappa valley...... Now a cheese platter St Andre triple cream and Stilton with honeycomb and port wine infused figs, pickled watermelon ( I got to eat extra as it really was not to Sandy's taste) and tiny thin bagels More red... Now desert..thankfully it was 1 or the other so we got to share and try them both 1 was a yogurt mouse dome with a lychee, raspberry cream and a hazel Sablee with a lime vanilla reduction and more wine oh and a chocolate delight with a spiced dark rum infused banana wrapped in a cocoa mouse sitting in a chocolate spiral a shard of white chocolate wrapped in gold leaf speared through the banana to give it just a bit more theatre....then we had coffee and after dinner drink as if we need that on top of what we had just had. So now its back to check out Mr UK's big deck!! It is impressive how the other half live, arrived back to Mr UK suite to be greeted with Moët on ice, vodka and cognac and the butler there to help pour, and true to his word his deck was 4 times bigger than mine. It was right at the front of the ship so with the wind in my hair I felt like Leonard Decapripo with my arms out stretched and taking in the sea air, perhaps a bit to much wine over dinner Pete!! We made our way back to our state room by 2am and what a great night was had by all. Will stop in and catch up with the Swiss guys later in our travels as they live close to Sion in Switzerland a place that we will be staying in the end of June. As for Mr UK and Mr Spain once we get settled in London we have been invited to go upcountry mid July for a couple of days so they can show us around a bit, that should be interesting, and I wonder what stories that will create.

Auto Gratuity

Got to love the word Auto Gratuity. A great on board word and it's not a word that us Aussie are used to! On the ship all your dockets when you get a drink or book a "speciality restaurants" have this 15% extra Auto Gratuity so nothing ever costs what you think it will cost. The assumption is that you will be automatically grateful! Sure I'm grateful for what they are going to do! But am I "automatically grateful" apparently I will BE!!!! Other great words that we have found on dry land are Servizio 12to 15% and these little suckers arrive on your bill at the end of a meal. Oh and Coperto because you sat at the table in the first place and it has a table cloth or the fact that they have music can cost again more € and then they look at you for a tip also. All that and the fact that our $ is worth 25% less than the € going out for a meal can be so complicated. I'm mostly grateful "automatically"or some times not. But I'm having a ball.

Katakolon in Greece

Peter was not so well loosing his battle with a cold so we layed low at a coffee shop for the afternoon but in the morning we were swept p as there was the festival with the locals celebrating Greek Orthodox Easter they had a band and traditional dancers in the main square and everyone could and did join in. There were a few of the usual watch and bag sellers refugees from Ethiopia around and they were as welcome at the feast as us boat people. There were hard boiled eggs that they had coloured the brightest dark pink, olives and olive pastes, cheeses, wine in plastic cups and a gingerbread bun which was delish! The ladies of the town layed a table with traditional food and walked around with baskets to make sure everyone who was in town that day got to eat and celebrate with them it was an amazing vibe of sharing.

Mykonos in Greece

TBAPeter was not so well loosing his battle with a cold so we layed low at a coffee shop for the afternoon but in the morning we were swept p as there was the festival with the locals celebrating Greek Orthodox Easter they had a band and traditional dancers in the main square and everyone could and did join in. There were a few of the usual watch and bag sellers refugees from Ethiopia around and they were as welcome at the feast as us boat people. There were hard boiled eggs that they had coloured the brightest dark pink, olives and olive pastes, cheeses, wine in plastic cups and a gingerbread bun which was delish! The ladies of the town layed a table with traditional food and walked around with baskets to make sure everyone who was in town that day got to eat and celebrate with them it was an amazing vibe of sharing.

Sharron's day

Sharrons birthday well we are sitting in the Koursaros wifi cafe on the shore of Greece near Olympia drinking frappe and tonight we are celebrating Sharron's day by attending a chefs table dinner we will toast your good health and happiness.

After Dinner Entertainment

At the front of the ship is a 1000 person entertainment theatre terraced down over 4 floors with same private boxes.The theme is carnivaley of Venice The carpet is rich blue with gold and purple face masks with the ribbons floating in the breeze, the support column are red and white barber's poles with jester hats where they reach the ceiling and the seats are in teak timber and are padded in rich teal valour. The stage curtains have 2 huge masks that would be 2 stories high which dominate the theme when you enter the theatre from the top floors. The ceiling is black with 100's of little light so it looks like the night sky in geometry. The whole theatre is air conditioning which come out of individual timber grills that are in the top of the backs of each of the seats, very clever design. The entertainment has ranged from singing and dancing groups, the 4 tenors, a magic and illusions acts, Shout, songs and dancing from the musical. Duo Acrobatique from the Warsaw Ballet Theatre, working the hoops and ribbons hanging from the ceiling and flying out over the audience, amazing how flexible and strong the duo are to perform such a physical show. As we are watching in awe we are thinking of your cruise life in the spotlight Tamara G

It's All Recycled

The toilet on the ship sounds just like a toilet on a plane, you know, that loud air sucking sound. The difference is it has water and the water level is quite high in the bowl. There is something strangely satisfying watching what you have just created being sucked away with great speed.

The ship has it own recycle centre and sewage works which processes all the wastes on board. The liquids are turned into safe water that is pure so it is released back into the sea and the solids are dried and turned into pellets and are sent ashore to be used as fertilisers. 

The waste foods are processed and put through a grinding machine and released into the sea as fish food. All the paper and plastic are squashed into pallets size blocks and taken away on shore. The ship has been awarded for its total recyclability and registered with the world health and recycle standards.

Said in my usual Big Gig voice "I think there's something in that for all of us, don't you"!

Hi from Mykonos

Hi from Mykonos 

So who,s out there in blog world????

I know that Annie & Greg, Gail and James are there are they have made little comments is anybody else out there, love to hear if you are.

Love and double cheek kisses Pete and Sandy

Tuesday Santorini in Greece

Today was another tender boat day as the island of Santorini has no ports large enough for the bigger ships. This is great as they have to stay in the harbour and not spoil the magical view of the island which from a distance looks like a snow-capped mountain. Its only apparent when you get closer that it is the houses that are the white capping. The island is some 80km long and was a old volcano. It's higher peaks stretches up some 600m into the sky in front of us. This island is so different to where we have been up it now as all the building are flat or domed roves and painted white, well except for a few rebel people who have opted for beige or a soft dirty sand colour. They look so soft, they are rendered heavily so no sharp lines. They are all stuck on top of and hanging to the sides of the cliff faces that drop to the oceans below some 300m. The cliff are void of any vegetation and are made up of volcanic pumas stone that look loose and in many areas there are land drifts thus explaining the no vegetation, and these people choose to live on top they must be crazy! From our safe viewing point of the tender boat we can see the donkey track that zig zags it way up the side of the cliff. In the past this was the only access to the cliff tops. It is still a option to go by donkey but I think they would need 2 donkeys to get me up that cliff. For the donkeys sake lets opt for the bus up and the cable car to come back to the ship later tonight.

We didn't arrive into the harbour until 1.pm, it was a long trip from Corfu some 400 naughtyial mile north of here. We will be on the island till 10pm tonight as we are doing a Greek Fester as the end of our day. The days are getting longer and warmer as we move south but that will be short lived once we head back to Venice by this Saturday.

The houses are white washed each May as the start of the Greek Orthodox Easter celebrations. Most of the island inhabitants are orthodox and the churches have blue domes that are very obvious with all the white around.

They are break away group from the catholic's several hundred years ago and celebrate Easter later and don't believe in the Pope. 

As we were driven around on our tour bus it was clear to see the vast amount of unfinished building, the country is in a financial mess and a real lot of developers have done their money and place are gust sitting with dry grass tall around them. They look like grey concrete moramorials of what could have been, if time's stayed good. So many people just spent to much to quick and then it just died.  

Most are just that to the frame stage so columns of 500mm 3000 tall spaced around a slab with concrete staircases going to nowhere. A sad and sorry site. We make our way most the way around the island with stops during the afternoon to see the local villages and a spot of shopping. Today it my turn and I fine the "most me" watch that will come in handy as we have to meet back at the bus at 6pm prior to the Greek Fester tonight. So it green and soft and has Santorini written on the band with a face of a comical frog that was trying to look like miss kitty!!!! Just the sort of watch this fashionistic hipster wants to wear around town. Or perhaps a 13 year old Japanese school girl would wear. But I needed a watch so this is the best one. I must say I'm please with my 8€ investment as the time did slip way and well it's back to the bus, we waited till 15 minutes after the "Have To Be Back On The Bus Time"and 1 poor person still was nowhere to be found so they left!!!! That's the rules and fair enough as you have a ship load of passenger waiting and they don't wait for one. Thanks to my little green miss Kitty froglet or that may have been us!!!!

Had a great Greek dinner on top of the cliff with 300 m of sheer drop in front of us and the view over the other little islands with the sun setting was magical

Monday Corfu in Greece

Clocks changed by 1 hour over night once we got in the the waters off Greece.

It 5.30pm Monday and in Australia it 12.30 am Tuesday morning so 7 hour difference. Today started of after mourning at 7am this morning. It was cool and wet yesterday at sea and today we woke to a 23deg slightly overcast but it cleared to beautiful clear sky by mid morning. Again today we have opted to do our own thing and make our way off the ship catch a local bus for 1.50€ into the old town. The rest of the bus went into the old town and we went the other direction followed the coast walk around to see what we could find.

Greece's economy is really suffering and the non tourist are sure unloved and dirty. But when you look over that we did manage to see some interesting areas. Did a self tour of 1 of the 2 fort castle and it was hmmmm a bit lame and so unkeeped that we opted out and wandered back into the old city. Little street and we found our selves at a christening as you do the old church only seethed about 50 people and was lined with gold. It was a little girls christening and the pink balloons that adorned the entrance we so cute we left them to their personal time and wondered on. Sandy found another fun necklace and matching earrings so that 3 necklaces and 2sets of earrings hmmm I'd better start looking for some shoes and shirts before the € run out!!!! We make our way back to a no tourist restaurant over looking the water with views back over the main land of Greece the sail boats are out in force. We order a Greek  salad (our 1st Greek salad and want a place to have it)as a starter to share, it came with 3 large pieces of feta that was so strong and tasty with the best tomato, cucumber, red onion, green capsicum and  black olives all with a olive oil and pepper dressing Yum Yum and than we have to try the lobster spaghetti  2small cut in 1/2 lobsters roasted and sitting on a spaghetti with a tomato and sweet capsicum sauce topped off with a local dry white little 500 ml bottle. No point trying to write the name of the wine down as it was all in traditional Greek writing, wont be able to get it back home! 

So all in all a great lunch. Well except for the threesome that I seamed to get myself into with a local couple that were sitting behind me at lunch, personal space guys, Please! Like everywhere personal space is a non existent. They were so close behind me and as they were starting to get into it I felt as though I was right in the middle, I giggled at  Sandy and I think they got the hint!!! Will be going for a lighter dinner option tonight and just the 2 of us! I left my new friends to it at lunch, I know it is cruel to leave them after only one date, But they just weren't my type!

Sailing away for the port on our deck with a lemon-cello and ice that we smuggled on board in Venice and Peter G you were right this time they put our today wine purchases in storage until we dock next Saturday. Spoil sports. Today's "border control" guys weren't the smiley ones from the other day! 

No harm in trying so we will have some Greek wine to enjoy back in Venice.

No I Pad service again tonight so I will try to post later.

Ciao Ciao in my best greek accent,as their word for goodby  I can't even spell let along say!

Expresso Correcto

also in Rome before we got on the cruise Danielle and Marina took us out to the markets and as usual when we arrived we had a coffee and cornetto at a bar to start our day. Danielle ask if I would like a Expresso? and me thinking that if you add an "O" to a word it sounded more Italian so I said correct"O". He looked at me and said really it only 9am, after many laughs it turns out that correcto is a word! I'm so Italian with out even knowing it.

It means to correct the Expresso i:e to add liquor like a grappa or a spirit, so be carful what you say! Mind you I did have my expresso corrected once or twice at night!

Antique Flea Markets

We also went to a Antique Flee Market while in Roma and wow what a place. It was off the beaten tracks and not a tourist spot.

The was about 50 small stalls about 3m to 6m x 3m all in white permanent tents with timber floors. The small streets were paved with white pebbles and the whole place had a fun buss about it. I was in my element but had to say no to the suit of armour and the wrought iron chandelier and matching bed head. I walked into one for the little stalls and the man rattled off at a 100 miles an hour about some great deals he had just for me! Looking stunned and with my first encounter with a store holder said in my best newly learnt Italian (thanks to Margret Lobben)

"Bonjornjo, Non Parlo Italiano, Parla Englasie?" He said straight back Non Parlo Englasie  Parla Itatiano!! And by the time it sunk in he was laugh and started to speak pretty dame good English, Hmmmm a smarty, we really hit it off and before long his wife came over to talk also. They were singers in a band and both took off there jackets to reveal their tea shirts that said "Rock - Stars" they were hysterical and we had to have photos with them. He tried so hard to sell me something but sorry it was all a bit too big to carry home.

Around the corner we come across a guy named Luka his English was not as good but we managed to almost settle on a price when Marina found us and intervened and thanks to her we should have saved 5€ on the 40€ deal. But not before what seamed like a heated exchange and him resigning that he was not ripping us of and it was a pair of genuine antique Cupid bronze door handles from the 1920's  Mousolini Period. I look at him and tried to quite  him down and feeling a bit sorry that my negotiator had tried to rip of his arms. I smiled and said I was going to buy them anyway and gave him the 40 € 

They may be small but they are very heavy (probably better as hand luggage on the way home)

The Aussie $

Still or bubbly water on board is about $5.25 for 1 litre

Mohetto's for $7 and some days they have cocktail specials for $4

Wine starts from $27 a bottle for a small selection of Italian and Chilean with a larger selection of French, Californian from $32 with 3 of the 4 Shiraz were from Australia for $40 with the other from California.

They have a selection of " Interesting Wines" as it is written on the wine list which varies from $28  for a mixed selection to $76 for Moët and $176 for Don Periano so Mark Daly come on over!!!! Susan you would love the whole ship thing with a balcony. I did walked past a port hole room yesterday as they were doing the change over and got to have a sticky beak and I'm soooooooo soooooooo glad I have a little balcony to escape to. 

Saturday when we were in Venice for the day we caught a vaparetto  "water bus" from the dock to S Samuelle which is the area that we will be staying next Saturday for the week at the end of the cruise, check out their web site www.viewsonvenice our apartment .ca Samuelle . Well the vaparetto was so crowded! Personal Space is non existent, my saving grace was Sandy and I were face to face so I could look over her head for that extra few mm's of personal space. She was wedged into some huge guys armpit as he held on the the rail above her head.. And even at 23 deg that deodorant was challenged, I on the other hand had another ladies breasts one either side of my arm and a guy behind me with well let's say I think he must have been please to meet me!!!! When I finally got released from his clutches it was only his veggie shopping that was please to be meet with me. Doing the calculation, you know as I like to do, if we were to have 52 people on our balcony of 6.5 m/2 that ment they could  get another 10 people on. That cost 7 euro each so $9.24 so next week the 80 euro $105.60 water taxi will be the go especially with 2 cases and a few backpacks for just a 10min trip. Think I might invest in a water taxi business in Venice or even a "veggie shop"!

In Croatia we found a little corner store  where water cost $1.04 and a Milka chocolate bar, yum, european chocolate is so good and it was only $1.44

Our $ is not so good in Italy well especially in Roma and the other tourist place so far but last thursday in Croatia we were rich! 

In Slovenia we had 2 Pina Carladers in a side walk street for 5.50 euro so $7 .26 each  and a Cappuccino for $4

While in Venice surely the most expensive city in the world in San Marco Square with a view of San Marco Basicilla and the bell tower with its gold statue on top we stopped for glass of Italian fun bubbly and as you first sit down they put a leaflet in front of you with a smile to inform you it will cost you 6 euro per person for the music so $7.92 for the pleasure of sitting there, but that is only if you going to order something, other wise on your bike kids. 

A Cappuccino was 9 euro $11.88 so $39.60  before we even got to the fun bubblies so with the 2 bubbles it totalled $68.64. The fun bubbles did come with some salted chips and 6 of the best tasting Sicilian Olives, what an amazing place to sit and watch the world go by and the musicians even had the hide to have a 15 minutes break while we were there!! So where is my 2 euro refund? Well that's why we have been saving up for those cups of coffee in Venice for so long!!! It was well worth every € , well it is Venice after all

Last Nights Bed Art

Every few days the cabin boys at your turn down service make little towel animals. The other day it was a puppy out of a bath towel and a washer.

Mid week an elephant from a bath towel and a hand towel, than a penguin and  last night out of a washer we had the cuties little Mouse they are so cleaver.

I pull them apart and took photos so maybe I might be able to do them at the Retreat well with lots and lots of practise or I can show you Julie and Kath!!!

Security Passes & I D

What a great system you receive a I D card that you swipe on and off the ship + you use it when you go to dinner and if you want a drink you produce it at the bars. When they swipe it your picture come up on their monitor so no one can nick your card and try to us it. Also it would stops people at the end of the cruise saying I didn't buy that!!!

Another Day At Sea

It's Sunday and we are on the 2nd leg of the cruise we have covered some 1160 nautical miles  from Rome to Venice. 2000 people got off in Venice was it something I said! But another 2000 go back on. So all good.

So now we are the veterans of the cruise we know it all! so didn't have to sit through the safety drill again just report and then we were dismissed back to our room. It was a wet start and we are being balcony dwellers today in our robes and catching up on some reading and THE BLOG.

Have ducked out to get food rations a couple of times and those glasses are still as still as the sea below, we'll until you pick them up again!

Peter G you can smuggle wine on board it just a mater of how you do it. When you come back on board thought the X-ray if they don't want to take it well that's their problem so happy days..... If they do they just put it away for you until you disembark on your final day. The Slovenian wine that we got on Thursday that just happen to make its way into my back pack have come in handy today, and the cab sauv 2003 that we found in a bottle shop for 10€ was a bargian, so it mayncome out later in the week and when in italy to not have a lemon chello would just be criminal don't you think. But wine everywhere over here has corks Hmmmm didn't pack a cork screw silly Peter. Michael our cabin boy comes to the rescue. Here on the ship over dinner you can opt to have wine by the glass or if you get a bottle and can't drink it all you can either take it back to your cabin recorked or they have a great system where they put your cabin No. on it and give you a receipt and they will get it from the cellars when you want no matter what restaurant you are dining in. So the other day we just couldn't  drink all our bottle at dinner so opt to bring it back to our cabin. Problem solved says Michael have a souvineer cork screw from Norwegian Cruise and said please keep it with his pleasure, maybe he saw our little stash.!!!

See You Next Week Venice

We set sail a bit later than what was planed, some one got lost in Venice no no not us we were back earlier just in case. But one of the other guest must have been lost in the crowds and they called her name for about 30mins over the loud speaker so wether she got back to the mother ship in time we are yet to know, but seriously if she didn't make it back you wouldn't wonder why, with all the people and the little dead end Calla's it could be a place to really loose yourself.

I'm hopeless with out Sands I'd be the lost "one" somewhere in one of those back calla's with little tears in my eyes! Yep I'm sure you get the picture, the whole pitta-full picture, I'm still getting lost on the ship. I was allowed to start going out by myself 3days after we set sail! She must really love me, I mean how lost could I get!!!!

So with drink in hand, still testing the ripple and swell theory, we are on holidays! we retire to our balcony and once again looking over Venice this time in day light and the view is just magic,  being up so high as most of Venice is under 4 stories except for the towers, stepals and of course San Marco. 

So what a birds eye view are we getting, it's as if all this is laid out just for us 2 on our little balcony its just so romantic. Ciac Ciac

9am Now That's More Respectable

It up again and to a bright sunnies day with a expected top of 23deg a great temperature for the walking tourist in Venice.

We make our way off the mother ship following some of the staff as everyone else has left the ship, but as we are coming back in a weeks time for a week we can afford the relaxed exit this morning. The docks area is so well set up for the vast number of tourist, we make our way to the people mover (light rail) and for 1 euro & 2min journey to get us to the other side of the customs area well worth it. Most people would have take the vaparetto from the docks straight to San Marco but our mission today is to go the other direction towards the Pizzale Roma. This is a car park area on the out skirts of venice and it is the meet place for some of next weeks cooking classes. 

Great that one off the list and from there we will make our way up the grand canal to San Samuelle the place that we will be staying for our week in Venice after the cruise. We find it after a short vaperetto ride and a few dead end lanes only 1200mm wide and with the old walls of the houses towering up around you to 3 stories high. The lanes "Calla" great another word to add to the list is where we discover a great deli, funky restaurant (coming back to that one next week) and a local bar where we decide to stop and have lunch but with mixed results! Note to-self don't reorder pasta with fagioli sauce (beans) unless you are a great lover of pasta that looks like magots drowning in a brown hmmmm I will leave that up to your imagination...the  pasta texture was great if you closed your eyes but the bean slurry not so good to look at, tasted ok but don't need to revisit that one! The afternoon was spent walking the Calla's checking out the Glass shops but that will all have to wait till next week.

So time for Cappuccino and some Italian bubbly in San Marco than it back to the mother ship on a small boat again sailing up the Grand Canal.