In many of the churches, large and small, nativity scenes will soon begin to appear.
In some of the churches, the Christ Child is not put into the manger until midnight on Christmas Eve. In this nativity scene, the babe was present from the day the display was completed.
One thing to note is the presence of a fishing boat with sails, typical of those you will see in Chioggia. If you happen to be in Venice with a bit of spare time, Chioggia is worth considering as a day trip: http://www.italyheaven.co.uk/veneto/chioggia.html
Hello World 
Salt on the bridges too and yes, wonderful view of the mountains. Spent the morning on Murano with Karen…she had to see a man about a lamp. I saw several I wanted but couldn’t afford…probably couldn’t even afford shipping back to Seattle.
I don’t drink at all (don’t care if others do) so I never have an alcoholic drink in a bar;-)
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P.S. I saw frost for the first time this morning, just a light dusting on the grass on my way to work in Mestre. But it’s still warmer & sunnier than Edinburgh! And there have been some fantastic views of the mountains from the Ponte della Liberta’ in the last few days.
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And Karen has confirmed that also…it was great….very rich.
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Ah right, yes, I know it. They do a mean Negroni! (Thinks – do we ever go into a bar & not have an alcoholic drink ? Possibly not…)
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That would probably be Imagina, which is quite near the Istituto Venezia, Caroline.
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It was my friend’s favorite place in Campo Santa Margherita and I don’t know the name of it and yes, it was delicious. Putting picture on my blog. I don’t need dinner.I’ll try to find the exact name.
Yvonne it’s the place with the “cane caldo” that she blogged about.
I’m sure our friend Yvonne will remember but she’s probably sleeping right now. I’m the Meandering with Misha in her blog roll.
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9 months today since we arrived (not to mention the total 8 weeks previously spent on hols) – and we still haven’t made it to Chioggia, or even Pellestrina! Maybe next year 🙂
We went to the first of the free Advent concerts at San Trovaso on Sunday and I was afterwards struck by the thought that this was the first ‘Christmas’ music I’d heard! No shops playing non-stop Slade/Wham/Wizzard etc etc since October – hooray!
And apart from Coin which was there a few days earlier, it was only last Saturday – i.e. actually December – that I started seeing Christmas decorations in shops. The incredibly expensive chocolate shop at San Toma has a pretty spectacular window display, with a whole mountain scene made of chocolate – must get a photo of it for DH’s blog.
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I just got a photo of that shop this afternoon. But had my hot chocolate somewhere else.
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Hah, hot chocolate, something else I haven’t done yet in 9 months! Where did you have it and was it good?
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Hi, Caroline. It looks like I’ll have to take you folks to Chioggia, and we can discover Pellestrina together. But, you’re too darn busy working, I just recalled.
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Mm, it’s just not fair we have to work, isn’t it? 🙂 But I hope that by the time you arrive, we’ll have got our lesson prep time down so will have more free time.
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I know exactly where that is…I will go look for it.
Yvonne it is where we got our gondola last time I was here in 2010.
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I read somewhere that the round church, Santa Maria Maddalene, has a good presepe.
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Hi, Andrew. That is what I heard, also, but it wasn’t open last Christmas, maybe it is every other year?
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Si! I just remembered….I don’t have to “drive” in it. You have me looking forward to it. But have decided to save Torchello for a warmer trip. Maybe next time. There will be a next time…there will always be a next time.
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It’s really quite nice to have snow in Venice, Michelle.
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So true, those quiet little corners become even quieter.
PS, nice to see you’re easing back into blogging.
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Hi, Rob. And, it’s nice having some of the old gang around again. How are you!
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I will be looking for as many presepe as I can find.
Cold here in Venezia but unlike your blog…it is not snowing. Back in Seattle we would say it is too cold to snow…about 33 degrees F. Close to 0 degrees F. Yes, there are some areas where it gets too cold to snow…ask the folks in Antarctica.
Off for a wander this morning…want to see what else is beyond my bridge. Going to Murano with K. tomorrow.
Ciao bella.
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According to the ‘always reliable’ meteo, you might see some light snow later this week.
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I am so thrilled….not.
All though, I am in Venezia and snow falling from my bridge would probably delight me. Maybe that Torchello trip will have to wait for next time…although the Musical Journey Venice; the Lagoon has Torchello in snow…it could be quite beautiful. And I have the right boots for that.
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Love your falling snow! Wish it would fall here!
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I just heard your temperature and forecast on the ABC … they are not nice numbers, Melissa.
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That’s for sure! Hoping for some relief by way of a tropical shower this evening, but it doesn’t look promising!
A refreshing tropical shower usually equates to gale force winds, pelting rain and hail and finished off nicely by the loss of electricity 🙄
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Nativity scenes attract us even if we’re not religious.
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Absolutely, Darlene. What do you see in the churches in Mexico for this season of the year?
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