A bit of a boring blog (Day 10)

Another day of small observations. I've been working everyday this week so the only chance I have to spot anything worth blogging about is on my way to and from work. I'm pleased to say this will all change on Saturday as I have some time off and will be doing all sorts of interesting things to make up for it. So if anyone is bothering to read this please stick with it, it will get better soon I promise!

I have made one interesting(ish) discovery. Until today there are two things I've noticed were missing from Venice. The first was postmen. Now I'm not completely stupid. I know they must exist as we have received post, houses have letter boxes, you can buy stamps and postcards - the evidence is mounting up...but I have never seen them. I started to look out for them on my daily walk.

Then today as walked down an alleyway Victoria pointed one out to me. The reason I have never spotted them before is that they don't wear a uniform here. They don't even have bags that say the equivalent of 'Royal Mail'. So all those men carrying big heavy bags, wearing shorts and trainers are actually postmen. I tried to take a picture of him but he hid, so the man behind him stepped in to do a very good impression of a postman instead, and the man behind him in the background looks like he might be having a wee up against the wall.

A few minutes later I was more successful. This is a Venetian postman.

I find this odd. I was under the impression they were quite into uniforms here? See example below of a very proud group in uniform - There are hundreds of sailors, and sailor cadets walking around everyday in crisp white uniforms, especially along the Riva Degli Schiavoni and around the Arsenale. How they manage to look impecable in this heat is a mystery. I can barely manage to walk to the shop without looking like I may have taken a tumble into a canal.

The second thing I've noticed a distinct lack of are playgrounds. I haven't spotted a single one. Not even a slide or some swings. I actually feel quite sorry for the kids who live in Venice, it seems to cater much more for grown ups and there are lots of hard surfaces to graze knees on, rather than grass or greenery. The population of Venice is predominantely old. Maybe that's why. But even without playgrounds there's not much here to occupy the younger generation. The only toys I've seen for sale are squeeky plastic chickens in the pet shop window or this little wooden Pinocchio in the hardware shop.

So if you ever need a Stayer BH14K drill and a small wooden Pinocchio toy you know the shop to go to!

That's it, end of boring blog.