I wake and leave brett sleeping for another hour while I eat figs in the corner of our room! Why do I feel sneaky? He doesnt even like the, I think its cos they're so expensive at home that just to eat them from a paper bag seems wrong. they melt in my mouth.....

off walking to the ferry station, 10 minutes from our lovely old hotel. On the way at the main st we buy Ecco sandals for me and the long searched for work shoes for Brett! First pair he saw. Leaving them in the shop for later collection, we hop on to the slightly wrong ferry and half an hour and a half tour of surrounding Venice and then get to st Marks square at the heat of the day (we specialise in this).

We have seen Venice differently this time, not so much focus on houses on water,more focus on the shops I think. 2 huge cruiseships heading into port look incongruous with the landscape of Venice. Wandering through the alleyways we buy small glassware, jewelry and shoes. Eventually we get to Rialto Bridge with the other tourists!

to get out of the heat I head into a Murano glassware jewelry shop and brett buys me a lovely ring I fancy. It has 2 glass beads on it, very different for me. We buy dessert wine glasses for Martinborough and some small vases. Hand luggage now full.....

After lunch in the shade we go back to Lido and grett the LIMA group. After a shower and the 2nd beer of our trip (4th in my life!) we catch water taxis from opposite the hotel to St Marks square and restaurant Caravello. Its a garden restaurant attached to a hotel dating from 13th century. We eat superb seafood pasta, drink Pinot Grigio, have fish for main, crispy skinned with pesto and crunchy fried Julienned veges. Dessert is a nutty icecream type, and its by far the best meal weve had away.

Water taxis take us home at 11.30pm for some fantasti might views of Venice.