We go on a tour of our land

There are a lot of trees -

The undergrowth was cleared over most of the land by the previous owners - apparently this is called "park-landing".

The previous owners also installed a dam, for which we are very grateful.

Our neighbour loves to mow and slash and kept this side of the boundary clear for us. It's not his boundary....but....

This is our little camping spot -

Our house will be built here -  

in the bit leveled by the previous owners. (Again thanks).

The view from our (to be) bedroom -

The view from my (to be) workroom -

Things I learned about Venice - travel tips

1. If you arrive in Venice via Marco Polo airport (I believe this is the main international airport) you can get to Venice by boat. Buy your ticket at the airport. There are 3 routes that go to different parts of Venice. Then you walk to the jetty - takes about 10 mins.
It took us about 1 and a quarter hours to get from the airport to Arsenale stop.
There are also water taxis which are quicker, but are a lot more expensive.

2. If you hire a car when you leave Venice the easiest spot to pick up from is probably the airport. That way you can get a return ticket on the airport boat.

3. You can also pick up a hire car actually in Venice where the causeway from the mainland terminates - Piazza Roma. This is the only part of Venice that actually has vehicles.
Or you can pick up your car in Mestre which is the nearest place on the mainland (which is what we did)

4. You can also leave Venice by train from the station at the end of the causeway near Piazza Roma.

5. When you get on the train to Mestre do not believe the woman who said that Mestre is the first stop - it may or may not be! Then you are stranded in a weed-blown station with the next stopping train an hour and a half later!

6. For getting around in Venice buy a multi-use ticket on the vaporettos (passenger ferries). You can get them for 12/24/36/48/72 hours or for 1 week.
72 hours cost 35 euros.
Also get the extra Vaporetto d'art ticket which costs 10 euros. It is well worth it to hop on and off, especially in the middle of the day when the regular boats going along the Grand Canal are packed to the gunnels.
There is a commentary on board the vaporetto d'art as well as wi-fi and nice helpful tourist guides.

7. Buy a Venice Card for free entry to 11 museums and discount to other museums and special tours, plus entry to 16 churches. It cost us 40 euro.

8. Venice is busy!
To avoid queues to get in to the Basilica San Marco go early (before 9.45) or later in the day about 4ish.
The day trippers and tour groups start arriving about 10am.
The Basilica doesn't take very long to go through unless you include some side tours - Palo d'Oro and the museum and treasury which cost extra.(all close at 4pm.
Don't bother with the treasury.

9. Another busy place is the Palazzo Ducal (The Doge's Palace).
Get there when it opens at 8.30 am.
It takes a couple of hours to get through - but is very worthwhile.

10. Fit in as many churches as you can - they all have masterpieces on the walls and ceilings.

11. Our museum of choice - Ca'Rezzonica.
But we didn't go to Galleria dell'Accademia of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection both of which come well-recommended.

12. The best toilets can be found in the museums!
Palazzo Ducale has a particularly lovely one on the ground floor - expect to queue later in the day.

13. Your multi boat ticket includes Murano and Burano which is a great day trip. Get off at Murano first and then go to Burano (or the other way round). There boat goes from one to the other (it wasn't obvious from the map)

14. It is easy to walk around Venice.
Wear comfy shoes.
Get a map - we didn't get lost once! There are signs in the central part to San Marco and the Rialto bridge.

15. Hop on the Vaporetto d'Art or a regular vaporetto to Isola di San Giorgio - opposite the
Grand Canal entrance - and take the lift to the top of the belltower for great views.

16. Be aware that in most museums, the Basilica, Palazzo Ducale you will have to check your backpack. (The Basilica bag check is across the square)

17. Also be aware of clothing requirements. Bare shoulders are not allowed in the Basilica - ladies, take a scarf of shirt, guys take a shirt to cover up with. They also are not supposed to let bare knees in but I think they seemed a bit more lax with this.

18. Eat chocolate brioche for breakfast.

19. Other good stuff - cicheti - bar snacks. Can be good or can be greasy and cold!
Crostini - open sandwiches.
Panini - great fresh bread rolls.
Prosecco - lovely sparkling wine, lighter than champagne.
Spritz - refreshing prosecco cocktail.

20. If you can - stay in Venice.
Staying in Venice is not cheap but has so many advantages. A place on the Grand Canal might be nice - but cost mega-bucks and could be noisy.
More reasonably priced places can be found in the quieter neighbourhoods - Castello, Cannaregio and near the station.
A good read about why you should stay in Venice and some eating out tips by Johanna Reid of Traveleater that I found on Mallory on Travel.

Views of Venice

Seven things to love about Venice.

1. Its lovely little winding laneways which suddenly bring you to waterways big or small, or little squares or piazzas. A surprise round every corner.

2. Its gorgeous old slightly crumbling buildings, big and small.

3. There are no cars. You go everywhere by foot or boat. Walking around it easy and there is no noisy, smelly traffic.

4. There are almost endless things to see - museums, churches with magnificent artworks, shops, Murano glass.

5. Get a vaporetta pass and you can hop on and off boats to your hearts content. You can visit the Lido (beachside) or the islands of Murano (for glass making), Burano (for lace making and brightly coloured houses).

6. Having chocolate brioche and jam croissant for breakfast in your local cafe.

7. Drinking Prosecco and people-watching.

Asian prawn soup - fast diet dinner

I do like flavoursome food and especially on my fast days. It's somehow more satisfying.

I made an asian-inspired soup with bits and pieces that i had in my fridge and freezer.

I spiced things up with this handy little tube of flavour.

Here's what I did -
I added about a tablespoon of the Thai paste to 1 litre of vegetable stock (you could use fish stock if you had some. I just use Vegeta vegetable stock powder).

When this comes to the boil add a couple of handfuls of green beans cut in 1 inch pieces (or 2.5 cms if you prefer metric).
Cook for a minute or two then add 1 cup sliced oyster mushrooms (or any other mushrooms) and the sliced stalks of a head of bok choy.

Cook for another couple of minutes then add 200 grams of cooked peeled prawns, and the chopped leafy bit of the bok choy and half a bag of beansprouts.

When it's all warmed through ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped coriander and spring onions.

 Very quick and easy!

Serves 2.
170 calories per serve.

Adventure Awaits

by WhimseyandWanderlust

Fast day bean and vegetable soup

It's cold.
It's winter.
And that calls for a hearty dinner.

Soup!

Here's what I did and you can do it too - 

chop 200 g peeled butternut pumpkin (squash.
chop 1 large peeled carrot.
slice 1 large leek (wash the leek really well)

Put them all in a big pot with 1250ml water and 400g tinned tomatoes. You can use vegetable stock if you have some, I just use a couple of teaspoons of vegeta powder.

Bring to a boil.
cook for 15 mins or until the carrot is softish.

Add a cup of chopped spinach (I used silverbeet) and a can of mixed beans (drained and rinsed).

Cook for a few more minutes until the spinach is wilted.

Add a handful of chopped fresh herbs (I used parsley and basil) 

This serves 4.
130 calories per serve.

In which we explore Sydney

Rocks laneway

Sydney Observatory

a cruise ship disappearing under the harbour bridge

back lanes in the Rocks

blackthrones by Wangechi Mutu at the MCA

moth girls by Wangechi Mutu

eXoecoaXis by Nick Mangan at the MCA

spiral of bits of old buildings

where the Gov lives

we can see your house from here!