A photo essay so you can catch up with this week's experiences

I'm afraid I've neglected you, gentle reader.

Since leaving Manciano a week ago we've been on the move with little time to even send emails, let alone maintain my blog. We drove back to Rome to return the rental car, then hopped on a train to Venice the next morning. Next stop was Milan, to see "The Last Supper", then by TGV train through the Italian Alps to Paris.

However I now have a fast wireless connection at this little gem of a hotel (The Caron de Beaumarchais Hotel) just off the Rue de Rivoli in the Marais district and can upload photos! So I'll attempt a quick catch-up with this photo essay of our stay in Venice.

In brief, we viewed the paintings in the Gallerie dell'Accademia and the Palazzo Rezzonico, visited the church of Santa Maria della Salute and the Basilica San Marco (a return visit), attended a superb Vivaldi concert in the Church of St Vidal, shopped and walked for miles exploring little bridges and alleys, lost ourselves many times, never tired of the bells that seemed to constantly ring out from one church or another, ate far too much, and generally savoured the joys of Venice without the crowds.

Venice looking exquisite in the morning mist.

Swanning at Quadri in the Piazza San Marco where we drank coffee while the palm court orchestra played Strauss waltzes. We also popped into Harry's Bar for Bellinis (champagne and peach juice).

Our view of the Grand Canal from our window

The Pensione Accademia - our room was the top window on the right.

Campo San Barnaba

This little square has been quite a favourite with film-makers. The facade of church of San Barnaba was featured in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade", and the several scenes of the Katherine Hepburn movie "Summertime" were filmed here.

The Grand Canal

Arriving by boat at the Pensione Accademia. It had always been Boak's dream to arrive this way, so when an eager gent approached us struggling out of the station with our luggage he instantly accepted. It wasn't quite the speedboat he was expecting, but nevertheless this was a particularly fine way to arrive since the Pensione Accademia has its own landing just off the Grand Canal.