Venice

Dara and I went to Venice for the long weekend, as a little mini-holiday in the middle of the high tourist season. It seems a bit decadent to be taking off 3 days when we could be working, but having gone and returned, I can tell you just how wonderful (and almost necessary) it was. I always think of living in Rome as being on an extended holiday, no matter how long I am here, because Rome to me is a magical place, and regardless of my high level of familiarity, it is different enough from home to feel that way. Still, taking a holiday from Rome was an incredibly relaxing experience!

Firstly, I got to sleep in a bed that was not mine. Now, in fairness, the hotel bed was really hard (which made my own bed feel a million times more comfortable than it already

is when I came home!), but the room was air conditioned, and I actually went and a

te breakfast every day! Our hotel, San Giorgio, was adorable if incredibly rococo, but it was very near San Marco and we had a window that overlooked the canal. The smell of the canals wasn't as bad as I had expected, either; mostly, they smelled like the sea, which was actually quite nice.

Secondly, I went out every day with absolutely zero plans. It was fantastic. I am a notorious plan-lover, but to walk around a city without having a schedule was a rare treat. I still got to see plenty of art and architecture, but on a whim, Dara and I went out to one of the other islands, which ended up being absolutely amazing. It was San Giorgio Maggiore, home to a huge church and the yacht club, and nothing else, and we took off our shoes and went wading on the submerged steps. This is the island:

That's me, from a very great distance. Believe it or not, that is me with a tan.

As it turns out, the church had a bell tower, and we climbed it and were rewarded with incredible views of the whole lagoon. I'll leave you with a sample of those!