The Last Blog

Today our plan was to go to Murana to watch some glass blowing and maybe buy some trinkets for the kids.
We trecked across Venice to the ferry we needed. The aim was to endure as little stops as possible to avoid motion sickness and the crowds. So we walked about 20 minutes and tried to stick to the shade of the buildings as the weather was already warm.

We lined up for the boat and I asked one of the staff how we pay. Everyone else had tickets. He said we pay on the boat and then promptly told me to make sure I put my purse away asap as there were pickpockets around. Or so he gestured to me.

So we entered the floating terminal to wait for our boat and the tiny terminal started to fill up. It got so full that they decided to call all the residents to the front to board first. Fair enough. They also kept yelling “Attenzione! Attenzione! Pickpocket!!” Which had us all on alert. Suspect everyone!

We boarded the overflowing ferry and I directed us all to the side of the boat for fresh air rather than going down below. The ferry ride was 10 minutes and Mike spent most of it lining up to get a ticket somewhere on the

other side of the ferry. Before we knew it we were at our stop and Mike had still not purchased the tickets. Oh well. We tried!

As soon as we got on Murano the heat hit us hard. There is very little shelter on the island and the air was dead still. We ducked in and out of glass stores which were all very similar. Isla cleaned out Murano of all tiny glass animals that she couldn’t leave behind while Max took a slower approach until he found the perfect glass replica of Hugo. So special! Kayden apparently purchased some glass snails I’m yet to see.

We paused for a quick watermelon granita while we tried to find a glass blowing demonstration. We didn’t find anything and decided we’d grab some lunch on the canal instead. At least we could sit and research the demonstrations while waiting for our food.

The restaurant was lovely and we each managed to find something we would like. I can’t remember the others but there was definitely a scallop pasta and caprese salad on the table. The lunch was pretty expensive but worth it for the shade and relief from the sun. Everyone appeared in a better mood after a big feed too.

We watched a glass blowing demonstration where we saw a vase and a beautiful horse be created in front of our eyes. The demonstration was quick but that was ok since it was so hot in there. The kids were really impressed by how it was all created. Especially Kayden.

When we were ready to leave we had trouble figuring out the ferry time table. I could feel Mike and I getting snappy at each other. We’d done really well on the trip. A lot less snappy with each other than I expected. We were preparing for this trip to be a shit show on many occasions. Reassuring each other that we can’t expect too much and the kids would most definitely ruin many special moments. As kids often can. Yet we’ve not had that...yet. Anyway, I had a conductor leading me to a boat that Mike didn’t believe we should get on. Things get lost in translation so it’s harder to make quick decisions. It turned out to be a good move as the next minute a private taxi pulled up on the jetty and Mike and I both looked at each other. Why not? We asked the fee to deliver us right to our apartment bridge. He said 75 euro. Which is a lot but we knew the kids would love it if we looked at it as an activity. And it would save us the long walk as well. It was amazing! This is how the other half live! The boat flew across the islands and the wind was in our hair with splashes as we went over waves created by other boats. We all stood on the back of our fancy boat feeling a million bucks. It was fabulous to see Venice like this from the water and I think the general consensus was it was more enjoyable than the gondola. I spotted Max grinning so widely to people at restaurants trying to make eye contact with patrons. If I was to go to Venice again I would do the gondola as it’s a once in a lifetime type experience. But if I had to pick one over the other for a first timer, go the private taxi boat. Especially if you want to get from A to B. Although I know the pull of the gondola is strong!

That afternoon Mike was keen for us all to visit a Natural History Museum.

Our Air bnb host suggested it. Not at all what we envisaged doing in Venice but she had Mike at dinosaurs. Real dinosaur bones! So off we went following Mike through a million winding streets. Our host told us to look at the ground as dinosaur footprints would lead us to the museum. The kids excitement built as we found more and more footprints. The area the museum was in was quiet. It was stunning with canals and empty piazzas. I’ll never forget watching Isla run through the empty square after her brothers as Mike and I crossed a tiny bridge over a canal. We were in Venice in the busiest summer they’ve ever had and yet Mike had led us to this empty area. It was surreal.

The museum was awesome and empty as it was the end of the day. The only downside was it was all in Italian. Luckily we had our translator app. I think I’ve mentioned it but you hold the phone in front of words and it instantly translates it to English. Very cool.

There we were in rooms alone with dinosaur skeletons and the largest crocodile head we’ve ever come across that had been dug up in Africa I believe. There was even a dinosaur vertebrae the kids could pick up and handle. Each room had a different theme and we saw incredible skeletons and human mummies, animals we’ve never heard of and some pretty insane taxidermy that the kids couldn’t process were once alive! Amazing.

That evening the kids did not feel like eating out. It was hot and they were keen to have a 'plate of yummies'. This is something Mike puts together for the kids back at home. Basically bits and pieces on a plate. We went to the

cinema supermarket to collect some food and let the kids choose Italian lollies. Mike and I still wanted to head out. We settled them into the apartment and pointed out the window. We would either be directly across the way at that restaurant or around the corner at one called Gam Gam. Most likely the one across the road as Gam Gam was hard to get into.

We’d hit a bit of a wall with Italian food. We knew we were in the Jewish Ghetto of Venice. The oldest Jewish ghetto in the world in fact. So we thought we should go for it and try kosher food. First up I quickly googled what kosher food was, what the etiquette was, what I should wear and if Mike could drink. Google told me to cover my shoulders and knees. I could only just cover my shoulders but my knees were out! Oh well, we would give it a try.

So we went to the Gam Gam restaurant and asked for a table for 2 on the canal. No sorry they were booked. We waited our usual few seconds and then the host asked us to go up to the restaurant door and wait. They’d take a

look and see what they could do. Well! We headed to the indoor part of the restaurant and it was packed and loud. Except they were not speaking Italian? It was a mix of what we found out was called Judeo-Venetian. It was mostly men all wearing the cap on the crown and many had the long hair with curls. The few women we saw were covered to elbow and ankle. Some wore scarves over their heads. Eeekkkk! I felt practically naked with my knees hanging out. If we thought Ischia was overwhelming, the inside of this restaurant was not somewhere we felt ready for! Do we make a run for it? No, we just decided we would politely say we wanted to sit on the canal if they suggest we sit inside. So we waited and the host came out and said we can sit at one tiny table outside but the sun would be in someone’s eyes. No problem!

Wow! So glad we went. I got to try matzo ball soup which would be tricky to find in Perth and also fried artichokes which was on my wish list for Italy. Mike gave both the thumbs up. We then got incredibly soft couscous and braised meat for Mike and melt in your mouth couscous with salmon for me. Amazing!!!! Here we were on the canals trying delicious kosher food for the first time in Venice.

We reflected on our holiday as it was coming to a close. And spoke about future trips and what we would and wouldn’t do again. The hard truth is our interest rates are coming up next year and saving for holiday will most likely be a thing of the past. But it’s nice to dream! We had already asked the kids where they’d be keen to visit next and they unanimously said Japan. Interesting. Mike said USA for the sports. I’m really not sure. Maybe backpacking in Vietnam? We all agree that we’ll be happy not to fly anywhere any time soon.

The next day we travelled to Milan and straight into a heat wave. 36 degrees and dragging ourselves to our 3rd or 4th story apartment. We had plans to visit the duomo but it was simply too hot and too far for public transport. Mike and I ventured out once to an average looking bakery that ended up selling us some incredible focaccia with sliced potato and rosemary.

So the afternoon was relatively quiet with Mike and I packing all our luggage again. We went out for one last meal before we would start our long journey back to Perth the next day. We decided on dinner in a tiny trattoria our host suggested. He warned us it was cheap and nothing fancy but genuine Milanese cuisine. We all agreed that it looked like a caravan. As usual we arrived and it was empty. By the time we left it was full. We ordered Milanese ossobucco and polenta, home made macaroni and ragu (which looked like penne) and some unique fettuccine for Max. Isla said it was the best meal of the trip.

We clinked glasses and took one last family photo together in this tiny restaurant. We have no doubts that this was a trip of a lifetime. We won’t go back as the same people. This blog has been a gift not only to our children to look back on when they are older, but it has also been for our families and friends who followed us on this journey. I hope you enjoyed it. Once I am

back and rested I’ll proof read it (I wrote all this on my phone and often in a hurry so please excuse all the errors!) and turn it into a book for each child. I also wanted to write it as a memento for Mike and I who will one day look back at this snapshot of us in our 30s with our three incredible kids doing something we loved. Together.