Oh wait, I'm not finished with Italy!

Go back to Thursday in Venice: (still Mom)  Stayed at Ca Dogaressa.  (By the way, all spellings of Italian names, words, lodging, cities, are usually spelled incorrectly.  Accept that fact.) Paulo, our host at the guesthouse is wonderful.  We broke fast with fabulous brioche from a nearby Kosher bakery.  We stayed in the Canareggio sestiere of Venice, which was close to the train station and encompasses the first Jewish ghetto in the world.  So names because the area was formerly occupied by a foundry, geto, in Italian.  Passed up a great photo of 10 Orthodox Jewish men sitting by a small canal at a picnic table.  Felt like a creeper, so you will just have to picture it.

Mama looking beautiful in Florence

We wandered around that evening listening to the sound of clanging pots and pans, reminiscent of our old way of bringing in the New Year.  Clumps of little children ran around banging pots with wooden spoons, running into shops of all kinds, singing a little song. The proprietor, often waving his fingers in a mime of conducting, then gave them little candy treats.  Found out it was the Feast of St. Martin's Day. We stopped for a drink on a campo on the main drag, Strada Nova, and watched the kids and their parents.

Mom and I tried to get a picture of the little kids getting candy with their pots and pans.
We may or may not be on the Florence most wanted list. 

Of course, no one is dragging on the main drag, because the total beauty of Venice is that it is all pedestrian.  ALL pedestrian...except for the boats on the canals of course.  One enormous, living, sinking museum.  We missed a spot of flooding two days before we arrived, but the elevated sidewalks were still around in a few spots, no doubt waiting for the next winter flood.  As we returned to our little canal and guesthouse, we heard music and went to the bar across the canal.  Great time.  3 sax, guitar, bass, percussion.  Bluesy, jazzy, kind of the sound of The Average White Band.  Cheap, perfect.  Returned home late, found my purse was gone.  Mayhem.  Clare checked the club, tears, fears, trip to the phone bank to cancel my Mastercard. All my photos gone! Put off the rest of the cancellations till the following day.  Thank God I did.  After a bad night, I fixed the drapery the next morning and lo and behold--a miracle--my purse (with camera).  Clare and I, overjoyed, jumped up and down for a bit and felt reborn.  Fun night!

Mom outside Doge's Palace 

Friday: We loved crossing the Grand Canal on the small trahgettos.  Cool people stand as they cross, like George Washington crossing the Delaware.  Loved the Doge's Palace, the Rialto Market, San Marco, but I really loved the back canals, campos, and bridges.  Finding a campo with children playing soccer, seeing the laundry strung up high.  I'm a sucker for laundry. We treated ourselves to a concert of Vivaldi and Mozart in the Chiesa de San Vidal.  We particularly liked the 1st violin, second chair, and the violist.
Mom didn't explain why we liked the 2nd chair 1st violin and violist. They were very attractive (or, as her dad would call them, fiLm stars). 

We <3 laundry 

Saturday: We said goodbye to Venice by riding the vaporettos up and down the Grand Canal.  Our leisurely walk to the bus bound for the airport turned into a sweaty sprint as we realized Ryanair flies out of a different airport, which is 1.25 hours away and not .25.  Travel is so relaxing.

My being creepy with the dog on the vaporetto 

Returned HOME to Dublin and the Christmas lights were lit!  I may retire from the blog now, just saying we enjoyed exploring Green 19, Anseo Bar, and Shebeen Chic, for a different slice of Dublin.  Sunday, Clare bought some twinkle lights to brighten her common room and we were greatful to Govinda's vegetarian restaurant for their ENORMOUS servings.  Finally, generous portions and low price in Dublin.  Clare fell in love with The Winding Stair bookstore and you may find her there if you visit.  She doesn't intend to buy a book, but rather just sit in the big armchair with a cup of tea.  I think it is like home.

Mom and I went to Shebeen Chic Sunday night for our last dinner. Very cool place--sideways pictures of gentlemen in the 18th century, dozens of tattered chandeliers, little blocks of painted wood nailed to the wall in a jigsaw pattern. I walked her back to her B and B (or rather, "Grade A Guesthouse") and then decided I didn't want to say goodbye just yet (plus I didn't want to walk home in the freezing cold dark night and pass another old man murmuring "you so sexy!"). At around 7am Monday morning I woke up to my mom kissing me on the cheek and me sitting up to give her a sleepy hug and a sad goodbye. All day Monday I felt so alone! I miss my best friend, my 6' tall companion. Pounding the pavement alone was very lonely. BUT, mom's wise suggestions are already coming in handy: I met my friend Maisie at a very indie bar called Anseo on Camden st. Maisie was impressed but my coolness, or I'd like to think she was. I gave all the credit to mom. Then I went to a local natives concert across the street at a venue called The Village, right next to Whelans (not Kevin) pub. Unfortunately it was sold out, and I had to brave the crowd alone! I still had a lot of fun, but being 6' in a sea of little Irish girls and boys can be pretty odd. I need to bring Shannon, or another short person, to help me edge my way to the front. There was no way I was doing that alone... not without getting punched in the face by angry, drunk, short people. 


I'm kidding, I actually like short people. Kind of. 


This marks the end Eileen's reign on my blog. What a sad day....

Love,
Clare and Mom