Friday 24th September

 24/09/04 Day 83 - The Last day. Also 8 months...

Our third "anniversary" in Europe got off, in my opinion, to a bad start. Aside from the constant exhaustion, my only real anticipation of going home is an end to the unrepresentative and upsetting irritableness? in our relationship.

So we had our last breakfast - enjoyable despite being denied our own fruit at Bosco - and managed after a while of false starts to head for an underwear shop. This was a waste of time. So we set off in search of our picture spot, eventually found it and got a gondolier to take the photo. Unfortunately he seemed more intent on getting his gondola in.

Then our plans deteriorated as I bluntly refused to wander down another street, and, slightly more influentially, the entire city began to scaring & carry and as horrible dark clouds swept in. It is interesting how the Unbroken sun gates fauna! Through the canals and streets in a furious and dust-carrying way that hurts the whole city into a freezing uninhabitable ghost-town. Perhaps had we not just commented on the Venetians "fear of rain" but run with them, we would have found our lovely tiramisu cheese cake) cafe before the torrents. But I wasn't too bad...

tiramisu consumed, we concluded that with no unfinished business and a rain storm set for the day, we may as well be on our way. So we got our bags, ran to the station, and once again, one last time we trundled off.

The surprise of the day was the late addition of Milan to our itinery - which I am most glad of. We trekked towards the centre until we found an LP certified "Pick" - what was meant to be a fast-food restaurant turned out to be more in the style of the classy places we had passed on the 'main street'. A selection of separate counters, all with food displayed and some keen decoration, gave you a choice of various Italian goods, all freshly cooked in front of you. There was also "leal rems" in the numerous "Lattice selections" scattered around the huge seating area and the entire system felt like it really worked. I had a fantastic pizza white heather had salmon & pasta and some crainline thing with potatoes and we shared a bowl of salad all for $5 each. And the toilets had lighting from pictures in the pictures - cravings - on the walls!

From there to the Duomo was through an impressive shopping mall with a classy-classy store inclusive, Mac D. before appearing int the squareto find the entire facade of the cathedral covered in scaffolding! So instead of admiring that we hampered into the classiest Italian department store and marvelled at the whiteness of the walls and the prices.

(also - don't forget the bag shops glittering white with only 5 bags visible in the entire shop!)

Metro train airport, dully.... (you may have noticed I'm knackered and fed up having to write everything I do. say & don't)

Today of all days was not the day to wake up at 7am. Not amused. I realised I had stayed long enough in Venice when not only could I recognise the streets we walked along but also every shop. I had already been in. And have I thought the city was bound to be hit by an earthquake yet - by the panic on everyone's faces - I was late - something was of a natural disaster move. I before the rain was England selling us back - it said "Heather and Brian, it is time for your return - you must embrace it". (The only embracing that Heather did when the heavens opened upon head was the embracing of preparing to express, very precisely the embracing of one views on the situation). Such was - the internal utter evenings I wanted it to be. So it was Everything...

a shame to leave Venice, especially in the rain and running away from it. It didn't take much time for the long goodbye. The train to Milan was rather cramped and made we realise two things have changed - I used to be resourceful on trains but was (in just too tired to do anything but stare out of the window. Milan was also the style capital - I thought it would be a vast count of the number of designer names. But this was the last invention of Marlend (so far). Strange we be at some down on crayfish but took the train and took the Rinasoonte too.

Metro gotten very efficient and a lot more expensive than tonic. Anyway, I look forward to many more Italian shopping trips. It's now 01:40 am I'm not quite sure this were going to get through the next 5 hours.

It is worth noting that I can no longer be singled out for these (generally false) accusations of losing your & breaking blocks. Having to barely suffered the humiliation of a Heving photo at our Venetian restaurant, whether heated until we were 100 metres away before searching her pockets & conducting her handbands were on her the table. While we returned and made a bit of a scene, and while the waiter wasoff searching inside her. Heather got gain discovered the "missing" hairbands in Vaultyou believe her pocket. When the waiter returned to apologize, we were most forgiving, fell him not to worry, and then made got away from there as up!