Venice.

Prelude to Xmas.

I spend a night in Venice on my way home, experiencing it's prelude to Xmas for the first time. It's so festive, the street necklaces of lights are being strung with chandeliers, the light is soft, shops full of beautiful Xmas panettone.

I have a hotel near the station which is reasonably priced and cool.

And the shops are so beautifully decorated!

I walk across the canal to the San Polo district and have the best lunch at Mauro & Mimmo, a wonderful hearty seafood garlicky stew.

And come across washing, who'd have thought that washing strung on a line could be so artistic!

Then later, after hours of walking and discovering a beautiful ceramic shop, I end the day in Rio della Misericordia at my favourite restaurant having polenta with tiny prawns, baccala and sarde in saor with a side dish of cabbage.

There's a full moon bathing the canal as I walk back to my hotel near the train station. Nothing is more beautiful than Venice at night or in the day, in the sun, in the rain, in the mist...can you tell this is my favourite place?