gondola ride in traffic

 These 5 fotos were taken within minutes of each other, late June.  If you are considering a quiet, relaxing or romantic ride in a gondola, choose your  time and place for getting into the gondola carefully. This looked like peak hour.  How skilled the gondoliers are, never touching each other's gondola, passing and waiting for one to turn into the canal.

Even the motor boats have a little difficulty passing each other in some of the narrow canals.

Think carefully too before you take a ride in a gondola  on the Grand Canal.  Can often be very busy: other gondolas are not the problem... think of the ferries!

Florian Venice

 One of Italy's oldest caffe establishments, Florian has been operating since 1720 in the heart of Venezia at Piazza San Marco .  In summer it's best in the morning or evening as the full sun is a killer , not to mention the tourists, in Piazza S Marco.

An orchestra plays at most hours. On the occassion of our visit in late June we had a pianist, a cellist, a violinist and a man playing the piano accordion.

There's Florian's Tea Rooms, Florian's Bar, and a good section of the piazza also.  A great spot to stop for a drink or snack.  You could get a coca cola for Euro11, a cappuccino for Euro 12.50, a gelato for Euro19.50, or an aperitivo rosso florian for Euro 12.50.  And many other treats on offer of course also. A bottle of Bollinger would set you back Euro300.

Harry's Bar, Harry's Dolci: Cipriani in Venezia

On my final day in Venezia we decided to take a trip to Giudecca, the long thin island not far from San Marco square in central Venice. A short trip on public transport (ferry) Linea number 2 took us to stop Planca Giudecca at around 1.30 pm,
peak time for a light lunch.  The temperature was 30 degrees plus, so somewhere in the shade on the lagoon's edge was  the place to go.  Not wanting to go into the nearest restaurant we strolled along to Fondamenta San Biagio and a restaurant that took our eyes, an all in white terrace with a floating white canopy right on the water's edge.  It wasn't until I read the
menu (with prices) that I realised we had inadvertently landed at Harry's Dolci, a less formal side of one of the Cipriani family's upmarket eateries. Service was courteous, food was simple and well presented, table cloth and serviettes were of white linen,  acqua frizzante was cold,  the waves of the lagoon almost lapped at our feet and the busy movements of hundreds of various boating vehicles kept us entertained and relaxed: postal service, tour groups in private boats, wooden taxis, builders carrying heavy equipment, ferries with trucks on board, even a "Red Bus" (in this case a red boat) for tourists' views of the city by boat.

kept us entertained and relaxed.

ciaobellatours.com.au/tours/Piemonte_wine_food.html

Teatro Massimo Bellini in Catania Sicilia Italy

Teatro Massimo Bellini in Catania.  on the night of Friday June 10, a magnificent performance of Spartacus - Balletto Classico.

Inside Ceiling

This narrow "street" on the left side of the theatre building is now named after Maria Callas... Bellini's famous opera Norma was one of her favourites, which she sang here at Teatro Massimo Bellini.

Inside the reception foyer... never-ending mirrors.

The sophisticated chandelier in the foyer / reception room

Vincenzo Bellini

Bellini's statue in the foyer

Corri la Vita: combating breast cancer in Florence

through the Boboli Grdens, along the Arno River

You'd be forgiven for  thinking that Firenze / Florence was welcoming Ciao Bella Tours to the city. Hot pink everywhere.Thousands of people (and dogs) turned out on September 27 2015 for the 12th version of the walk or run through the city of Firenze , with the focus on combating breast cancer. Salvatore Ferragamo is the major sponsor.

The shorter walk of 4.6 km commenced at the Piazza del Duomo,  and the route took us along the Arno, across two bridges ( Carraia, and alle Grazie), past the Pitti Paace, through the Boboli Gardens, up to the Forte Belvedere, and finally to  Piazza Signoria.  Men, women, children of all ages, babies in prams or rucksack type carriers on the back of Mamma or Babo, dogs on leaches (many wearing the pink tshirt), all wearing the hot pink tshirts with a number attached..  We spotted  a number in the 40,000s

Afterwards, back to friends' home for a huge Sunday lunch with the family

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Ristorante Torre di Angelucco, Martina Franca

What a find! Chef Angela Pagano provided a wonderful meal for us in September 2015. It's a small restaurant, well set up with a modern feel to it, excellent service and food suggestions, and EXCELLENT food.  Martina Franca is one of the most beautiful towns in Puglia, Italy - especially at night.

Otranto by wagon train

 We took the wagon train from Lecce to Otranto, with only one change of train at Maglie.

Although it is forbidden to cross the train lines (see Photo number 3) it is the only way to get to the little trains.  These wagon trains run infrequently .

At some stations there is still manual changing of the tracks.