Kuala Lumpur airport

Well Mum, you were right! Have 3 hours to kill here at the airport & there's free internet access. I now know that the long leg of the trip is over & the shorter one is to come. Only 7 hours left on a plane.

The last few days have flown by. I forgot to say on Friday we went to an old Roman Villa just outside of Ravenna. There are 8 or 10 black & white floor mosaics in situ, and only the foundations of the buildings remain. So you can look across the area & see all of them at once. Fantastic to see as there had only been a small amount of restoration so most of it was original. There went a roll of film!

It was great to see Kay again, even if we worked out I was there for about 8 hours, 5 of which we slept! Enough time to eat, & repack my bags while catching up with a glass of wine. That was definitely way too short a stay! Had no problems wit the flight from Venice to Paris & after reading the guidebook ditched the idea of going to the Museum of Natural History in favour of shopping on my last day.

Was worth it! On my walk I noticed 2 small pubs opposite each other in a little street that advertised they were televising the Rugby games on last night. There were 3, but I thought that France Vs New Zealand would be fun. I don't usually go to pubs by myself but felt OK going to watch something. So I had a Nanna nap back at the hotel & went out for dinner near the pubs. Game started at 9pm & it was packed! Ended up meeting a Kiwi/English couple who just moved from London to Paris plus a few disappointed locals who weren't that impressed when they heard some support for the opposition. So it was a good night & my plan for having a decent night's sleep before flying home went out the window as it was another 1.30am flight. However, as my mother told me, I can sleep at home. Good advice Mum!!

Anyway, I will be home in several hours & will no doubt catch up with everyone then.

A bientot,

Belle xxx

Last day in Ravenna

I can't believe it's over! Am back at the hotel to collect my bags & it was all very sad to say goodbye. Harder with some people than others & I have certainly made some good friends this time. Somehow, I'm going to make a Yahoo group so we can all keep in touch. We all had a great week but I think it's good it was only 5 days or we'd all die of alcohol poisoning. Dinner last night was fabulous in a restaurant that serves local specialty food. And Luciana gave us each a recipe book of regional food.

I was thinking how amazing it is that today I'm in Ravenna, tonight I'll be in Venice, tomorrow I'll be walking around Paris & then Monday I'll be home in Melbourne. How great is that???

Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing Kay again tonight, & then lots of you in a few days.

Caio ciao!

Bella xxx

4 days down, 1 to go

Only one more day of the course! As usual it has sped by. We havent't had any tours of the local churches etc this time, as we saw it all last time, which has meant more time for working on mosaics! Those of us who hadn't completed ours yesterday did so today. And at least started a smaller project. It took me about 3/4 of an hour to understand how to make the seemingly simple pattern I chose. You know how sometimes you just can't get your head around it? And then when I did, the curves made it too hard, so I simplified the pattern to suit my brainpower.

Tonight Luciana, the owner/main teacher, is taking us all out for dinner. I need to pack before we go as I'll have to check out tomorrow morning & collect my things when we finish. A few people are training it to Venice in the afternoon so we might go together.

I can't believe I only have 2 days left. Always saaaaaaaaaaad...

Not much other news as we've just been mosaicing all day!

See you all soon,

Bella xxx

Still in Ravenna

It's lunchtime on day 3 so I have called into the hotel to get onto the internet. Don't seem to have much time otherwise. We don't usually finish until 6pm, & last night Lisa & I shopped until half past 7. Were meeting everyone for dinner at 8, so I showered in 15 minutes & was on my way. Didn't get in until about 1am. The lady who runs the course is taking us all out for dinner tomorrow night for our last night which is nice. WE are all scrambling to finish our mosaics today. At elast a few people have to finish so they can show us how to set them. Otherwise those won't dry by Friday. Mine is coming along. I am up to the border. Fortunately they have someone who will help cut our tessera for us. Much quicker & much more uniform! However we still have to shape a lot of them.

When we finish we can then do another piece if we want. Usually people do borders, partly because of weight in getting them home, & partly to learn how to do them.

This time it is much less complex. It's an indirect method so you reverse your pattern onto heavy paper & glue tessera onto it upside down with flour glue strengthened with PVC glue. You glue everything upside down so that the front surface remains flat. I think when finished they hold it all together with a mesh, turn them over & lay them, then scrub off the flour glue. We're yet to see that part! Also, being floors, these one are grouted.

Anyway, must go and finish mine as I'd like to try a border as well. Everyone's is completely different but so far look great. Weather's still chilly but OK during the day.

I'm starting to think of the horrible countdowns of "this time next week" I'll be flying home/home/back at work etc. It's good I have Mum & Dad's visit to look forward to.

Only 3 or 4 days to go...

Alora!

Luv,

Belle xxx

Ravenna

Alora (as everyone says)

Arrived safely in Ravenna about 7.30 last night & walked the 2 or 3 blocks to the hotel. It was a little strange but nice to have some familiarity with the place, particularly since it was dark.

I feel quite spoilt in this hotel - it's 3 star & I have unpacked! It's the first one with a bar fridge, & toilet paper located in a logical place (where you don't have to turn like a pretzel to tear some off). I also have a hairdryer - luxury! I stayed in my room the whole night - couldn't be bothered going out again.

Kay, I'd never say no to dinner with Italian men. And you, of course!

And Tracey, yes, just hearing from people at home is great.

We started our first mosaic today. While we'll each take ours home, we're preparing them as if they would all fit together to make a floor. So we can learn the joining techniques. Given I haven't made anything since the last course I chose a pattern I liked but was pretty simple. Boy am I pleased! It's one of the old roman knots but I'll do a border as well. Others chose quite ambitious projects. I must say it's nnice to get back into it & I am looking froward to setting up when I get home now. Any news on that front Ollie?

There are 7 of us in the course this time - 6 girls, one man. 1 American, 1 south african, 1 dutch & 3 british. Nice bunch & we're all heading out to dinner together tonight. Only one other person is staying in this hotel.

It's still cold but I borrowed one of Kay's anoraks. Inside places it's fine, but of course I have my pashmina to help when I go out.

Bye for tonight,

Bella xxx

Yesterday in Venezia

Second blog for the morning, but we found we could add photos! All in Venice yesterday. See original blog below for details.

Bella xxxx

Venezia, Venezia...

Hello there! Yesterday we caught the train the 2 stations into Venice & just wandered around all day. Did a touch of shopping, had lunch etc. It's really quite amazing to think I'm here. Again!!! I went into the church in St Mark's square for the first time - totally mosaiced (is that a real word?) vaulted ceilings with lots of religious figures on gold backgrounds. Was impressive but not so much my style - however I loved the floors, which were also essentially totally mosaiced in marble. Bigger pieces in geometrical patterns. I think I just like the earthy tones rather than gilt.

It's still cold. The streets in Venice are narrow like elsewhere so little sunshine gets to hit the ground unless the sun is directly overhead. I simply had to buy a purple paisley pashmina to help ward off the cold.

We had dinner with Daniel & Laura (who'd gone to the bar) last night at a really nice restaurant. Today is a quiet day - just going to lounge a bit & visit Laura's - which includes Kay's adoptive Italian family of her parents & 8 year old daughter. And we have scheduled in coffee & gelato somewhere.

Kay's teaching from 5.30 - 7.30pm tonight, which is when I need to head off to Ravenna anyway. From memory it takes about 2 hours to get there & I don't want to check in too late.

Mosaics tomorrow!

And my last week that means :-(

Thanks for all my comments when I logged on this morning! Great to hear from Jude & Carefree & Jan too. I think having 6 comments is my record so far!

amore & caio,

Belinda/Bella/Belle/Expanda xxx

In Mogliano with Kay!!!

Yesterday I was up early and packed in about 15 minutes. Must be used to it by now. Caught the train to Lucca (had to change twice) wherby I assumed there would be a Left Luggage. But no, it was in the Tourist Info Office inside the walls of the town. So off I went & discovered there are 2 Tourist Bureaus & I of course had picked the wrong one first. Trundled to the other & was very relieved to dump my pack for a few hours.

Lucca is still fully walled, but strangely its not simply round or oval. Regularly the walls bulge out in the shape of a spade (cards wise) with the point outwards. You can walk all the way around the walls & its not like ramparts - more like an avenue! Tree lined road that has parks where the "spades" are. People cycle & walk around, and there are many stairs & ramps to acces the streets below.

Went to a very unexciting museum, rang Jen - great to catch up! Then climbed to one of the 2 towers that give a view over Lucca. Cant say I was looking fofrward to 250 steps but in fact it seemed like a breeze after the thousand Id climbed the day before. Mainly you see rooftops crammed together, chruch towers, and then mounain ranges in the background past the new city buildings. However I allso wanted to get a birdseye view of something else. Lucca was a roman town & over time, houses have been built in place of the arena - in the same oval shape. So in the middle of the lines ofnarrow laneways theres this oval of buildings. walked down there and what do you know, its Art & Craft market day! Hooray!

Forgot to mention that not only was the market in town, but initially I wondered why there were all these tents. I had stumbled into a 5 day Comic & Games Fair. It had taken over the main part of town.

Had a quick look at Puccinis house from the outside as its closed for restoration. Had to be satisfied with his statue in the square out the front. Apparently he wrote Madam Butterfly right there...

After that it was pretty much collect bag & head to station. Lucca to Firenze (Florence to the uninformed) was about an hour & a half & then to Venezia was 3 hours. Had to change to a local train and go one more stop to get to Kay so arrived around quarter past 9. Its great to see her! Amazing we didnt see each other for about 5 years & now its been 3 times in 15 months. Went to a bar for a while with a friend of hers but talked more when we came home & got to bed around 1.30am I think. Shes currently at a lesson she couldnt change so Im lounging round her flat.

Oh yes, the cold snap has arrived. Everyone around here last night was wearing scarves, big coats etc. And when we woke up, Kay said it was 1 degree! At least I will get to use my long sleeve shirts again. I posted some things home, but can borrow if necessary.

Kay has offered to have me again next Friday night, which is great as I have an early flight 7am Saturday morning back to Paris. And they have a taxi driver who will take me to the airport!

That's enough! Thanks for all the news & texts. yes, Gayelene, I got your text thanks - another good Werribee Cup by the sounds. Have a great time in Bright - my new tent will have to wait another year to go there.

And Sal, I've got your texts too - sorry you haven't been able to blog comment. But that's OK because texts are a treat to wake up to.

Lol, Bella (have to revert to my Italian name) xxx

swimming in the med... (someone has to do it!)

Today Felice, Denise & I firstly walked the High Road to the next town, Corniglia. The low road is the one that's closed due to a landslide, so there was no choice, since our mission was to have walked between each town by the time we all left. On the way up, we met an old local lady who told us there were 999 steps. We laughed! But soon stopped after we realised she probably hadn't been exaggerating. Every time we turned a corner, all we could see ahead were more steps. I got sick of them after about 100 I reckon, but you just have to keep on utting one foot in front of the other. After this though, the path evens out when it goes around the mountain. And when we saw the views, our legs stopped feeling sore any more. It's one of the only places you can see all 5 towns at once. And there was lots of pthalo! The way down wasn't so bad, not formed stpes so much as path & uneven steps paved in stones. Took about 2 hours. In Cornelia you have to walk down many steps to get to the train station. Denise counted & said 386. The sign at the bottom said 365, and my guidebook says 363. Basically, a shitload! I will be forever grateful I didn't decide to stay in Corniglia & arrive at the station only to have to climb those stairs with my backpack.

Felice was on her way to Nice so left us there. Denise & I were hanging for a swim so caught the train to Monterosso. She had never swum in the ocean before - a fact that dropped my jaw. However it evened out when I said I'd only ever seen snow once, considering there's a foot of it outside her home at the moment & it regualrly gets to -50 with windchill factor where she lives in Winnipeg. We lay around to dry off & since she's an artist, she played with my colour pencils for while.

Went to Riomaggiore by train simply to have a cappucino & to do the walk back by the ocean, as Denise hadn't done that section. At the bar having coffee we met an Aussie guy & one from boston who were playing guitar at one fo the tables. The Aussie has lived here for 4 months & grew up in Mt Gravatt.

Watched the sun set on the way back, but the wind was getting up & it was cold. have had dinner at the hostel tonight, & met an Australian naturopath working in London. I have played backgammon & she's started a jigsaw. Those who know me will agree it's a tiny taste of heaven for me.

AAm off to Venice tomorrow. Maybe with a short tour of Lucca on the way. Will play it by ear but am not in a hurry as Kay is working until about 8.30pm so I don't need to arrive until then.

Christine, your comments have worked thanks! & can you please let me know if a box arrives that I sent myself from France? This morning i got 3 text messages which was exciting! Thanks Mum, Jen & Mandie. Jen I'll try to phone tomorrow but I have to get a phone card yet.

I have really enjoyed my time here - it's such a beautiful part fo the world & I've enjoyed meeting a few people at the hostel. I am looking forward to seeing Kay, & now it's so close, the mosaics course. I haven't really had time to think about it too much until the last day or so, even though it was the inspiration for this trip.

So, there it is. Everyone should come to the Cinque Terra once in their lives! Plan it...

Lol,

Belle xxx

PS Suzanna. I have seen, but have been unable to buy, T-shirts with Caio Bella on them! I want one!

still on the C.T.

Hi all,
another day to blow all other things out of the water!!! Met a Canadian girl Denise last night & we decided to do some walking today. There are km's of trails around here linking the 5 villages. Ended up going around our headland & taking about an hour & a half to go 1km since we kept on stopping to admire the view! Caught the train to the furthest town, had lunch sitting on the beach/Mediterranean & then hiked to the next town - about 2 hours which incuded thousands of steps, but gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous views of the coastline & villages. Picked up another Canadian girl Felice on the way who is also staying at our hostel. Decided to just keep walking to the next town after a gelato (they make the BEST - yesterday I had one, & I've never had to spit lemon seeds out before. That's real gelato!) whchi was shorter & marginally less severe on out legs. But once again, spectacular views. The view over the middle town of Venazzo was my absolute favourite. The usual houses down the hill to a little inlet/port where there were colourful boats moored, & a little beach. hard to describe & my only suggestion is to google these places to see what you're missing. It was ridiculously hot & we were hoping for a swim, but the sun goes down early & it gets cool, so a shower had to suffice. Here, you get a shower token each day that gives you a 5 minute shower. And then the water stops! It's longer than it sounds - I've been able to wash my hair as well as myself & still have time to just stand there until the water runs out.

We'd met another Canadian (Alison) in our room this morning & organised to have dinner together tonight, down the hill at a local hole-in-the-wall where she said they had live music last night. No music tonight but a good meal & company. On the way back from our walk we'd caught the train 1 station & as we got off someone asked us if we spoke english & where the hostel was. So we brought her here, & she ended up knowing Alison. Small world. So we were all down at the restaurant but have come back earlier than we thought because we're all berry tired.

Will maybe do some more walking tomorrow - my mind is willing but we'll see where my body stands on that score tomorrow! Otherwise, lying on the beach doesn't sound so bad.

Denise is an artist & she often comments on colours of things. I keep asking her what colour's that? And have found out that the ocean can be pthalo (bluey-green) & at one time today, the sky was cerulian. So much better than saying blue for either of them!

But who's ever heard of pthalo???

Will be in touch again,

Love,

Belle xxx