Venice

I sold my bike to pay for a new (to us anyway) car... which does 63 mpg. Pretty good! It's just a little city car, but with N commuting 40 min each way and an inefficient local public transport system a second car is going to be a necessity when the baby comes. So... bye bye motorbike... hello grown-up life :(

On a happier note, N surprised me with a trip to Venice. This will be our last romantic get-away for many years and it's a great city to do without kids. It's not pram-friendly nor is there much for children to do. So, we spent the time wondering the streets, getting lost, riding the boat-buses, avoiding the tourists, eating gelato and sipping drinks in cafes.

It was wonderful to get away and enjoy each others' company. My favourite parts were sitting in a quiet church reflecting on life, touring the Basilica, listening to an orchestra perform in San Marco's square at night, spending a day on the beach, hanging out with my hubby, sitting on a park bench eating gelato after a day of walking and remembering how wonderful Nick is at dealing with me when I get tired and cranky.

And here are the picture highlights... sorry, but it's such a beautiful place that there are a lot of picture highlights!

The bus service (as packed as London buses and the bus drivers drive away as you are still getting on (like London). But, unlike London, these drivers actually hit the bus stops!)

San Marco Piazza (square) and Basilica (cathedral) consecrated in 1094:

The Venicians have beautiful mosaics. This is an icon on the Bacilica. It's made up of little tiles. Most of the Bacilica art were mosaics. Including the ceiling. It's not fresco paintings. It's the first I've seen of this style and I loved it.

This is a modern sculpture made from smaller pieces of junk metal - another mosaic.

The Bridge of Sighs which was named because of the sounds the prisoners made when they crossed this bridge leading from the court house to the dungeons.

Gondola on the Grand Canal

Our hotel - Ca' Bonvicini:

The view from our room. Every time a boat went past, N ran to the window like a young boy. He was most excited to see the fireman boat and ambulance boat (as there are NO roads in Venice). Cute.

Our room. We had breakfast every morning on that little table and opened the window and wooden shutters to overlook the canal.

Along the winding streets:

Food


this is better...

Roman gods:


Murano. An island close to Venice and famous for its glass products. Check out the giant glass abacus in the photo.

Burano. An island close to Murano. Famous for it's coloured houses.

My view on the beach in Lido. Another neighbouring island... It was in the sea here that I was bit by a jelly fish... twice! Ouch. Nick didn't believe me until he was bit while making fun of my whining :)

Taxis:

Rialto Bridge

Venetian Masks:

A lovely photo of the two of us, but you'll have to excuse the background. The canal and bridge we were looking at was much more beautiful.

And, of course, Monkey in a gondola hat:

Week 22

I've just entered week 22, it's Friday, I've had a very tough week and an even tougher day. On top of that, I can't have a whiskey and N's working tonight until midnight. So, it's chocolate brownies, juice and blogging for me.

By the way, non-alcoholic beer tastes just as good as real beer. No kidding. We've been getting some very hot weather lately, so I can still drink that perfect pint in the pub garden! Life isn't all bad. It's just today :)

So, some pictures!

Tim (N's brother), Sally-Ann and Jamie are expecting another addition to their family in the beginning of September.


Holly (N's niece) opening her birthday gifts with her mum, Caroline (N's sister).



J fed the elephants at Colchester zoo.


Jk, cousin Tom, Granddad David and N went to the Imperial War Museum's Aviation museum in Duxford while C and I stayed at home and prepared Ch for her Mathematics Government exam (GCSE).


Here I am at 21 weeks.
 


And our 21 week scan where we got to see the baby squirming and stretching and moving about.


We then had to go for a more detailed scan where we could clearly see the lips, nose, heart valves, brain lobes, ear, fingers, toes... it was AMAZING!!! The picture imprinted in my memory is the frontal close-up (straight on, not like this side-view) of the baby's lips (opened and puckered) and nostrils with one hand near the side of the face... I think the baby has N's nose.



This is me today. I've grown alot in a week, so I thought I should give you another pix. I look unhappy, but I'm just concentrating :) I should have cleaned the mirror! You can see my long tube-shaped prego pillow in the background too. Oh well, it helps me sleep.


We're trying to think of names. Feel free to blog some of your middle names or fav names to give us some ideas.

xoxox

May Day Weekend

Last weekend was May Day Bank Holiday (England speak for long weekend). Nick and I went to the May Day celebrations at the Downton Cuckoo Fair. I had my beloved freshly made cotton candy.


And we watched some traditional Clog Morris dancers.





They danced to the rhythm of a band made up of different antique accordions and a few other instruments.


This picture is for Jim. Wouldn't you love to have a go on this!


We also watched a few dances down by traditional Morris Dancers (the non-clog kind)


and the Maypole Dance (a folk dance preformed all over Western Europe on this weekend since the 1700's. Although I bet it wasn't originally done to the music from River Dance like ours was :)


The next day we went to Cambridge (not too far from home). This is the sighing bridge (like the one in Venis). This bridge provides a walkway from the students' residence to their classes.


And went on a guided punt on the river Cam.


Wondered around the campuses.



I didn't realize that Cambridge isn't just one university. It's actually 20-some different totally separate colleges. All of which make up of a population of only 22,000 students. Which is less than the population of U of C.


It is a beautiful city filled with great buildings and a calm student-coffee-shop atmosphere.



The residence are so studious that the Waterstone's book store is open late and needs security to man all the people going in!