A week in Venice goes by very quickly! Even without the museums and other attractions, simply walking around the city offers enough diversion that the days fly in a series of beautiful images.
Of couse, visiting the mask shops was a must for us, since Wrens Day is coming up quickly, and what better costume for this year than a mask from Venice?
It is a bit surprising to me how strong tourism is here that even in the end of October, the place is packed with us. I cant even imagine what it is like here in Summer. Anyway…Â
For any foodie, the market in Rialto is a visual treat, and lunch today will come from the chunks of fresh tuna bought there along with fresh fennel and other vegetables.
In terms of ice cream, Gelateria Nico in Zattere has been the best so far, and it is a perfect place to grab an ice cream for a stroll to see the gondolas being fixed in the boatyard or a wander along the lagoon.
It must be said that most of the ice cream around the place is utter junk, the then again, that is the case in most places…
The best meal has been in La Zucca, a delightful restaurant with good vegetarian options as well as the usual meats, etc. The pumpkin flan (not a dessert) is worth a trip in itself, and the desserts are definitely weighted toward the chocoholic (happy days!)
Today, I think, will be a lazy day, and I will get some work done on the book. On the other hand, there is the Venice Biennale on at the moment, and it certainly is tempting to go wander the pavillions and soak in some (more) art…
 It is so great to be in this city! The old buildings and faded grandeur are so refreshing coming from Ireland, where old is bad and every slightly weathered structure is ripped down in favour of spanking new semi-Ds.
I could spend a week simply walking, feasting on the visual treats. I’m staying in a 
The ice cream man is off to 
The markets in France have always been a source of joy for me. Life in Ireland has greatly improved with the advent of the 
That’s not me on the surfboard. No, I have been quite diligent here, working away on the 
It’s surprisingly quiet, so I don’t know if 
This evening I had a delightful meal in Le Clos Basque Restaurant (12, Rue Louis Barthou, Biarritz). Tucked away down a side street, the interior is charming with white-washed walls and starched blue and white tablecloths.
The ice cream man has taken advantage of cheap Ryanair flights and fled the country for a bit of work on the 
Still, I don’t mind a bit. There is a mountain of writing to be done on the book, although I couldn’t resist a swim this morning (you’re going to get wet anyway, so what’s a bit of rain?)
2. Getting a bit of culture at 
5. Swimming in the cove at Cala Pi, on the South Coast. You have to climb down a steep set of stairs to access a perfect beach with protected waters.
8. Exploring the mountain towns. Although many of these are quite touristy, they make a great place for a wander. The most famous is probably