i have found paradise.

yup. you won't believe me, but it's actually split in two, but both parts are in italy. the first part is an island paradise that goes by the name of VENICE. i've always said i wanted a honeymoon in venice, and whilst it was kinda tragic that i had to do it on my own - miss you jordy - i finally understand why that part of me wanted to go there so badly...it's BEAUTIFUL!!!! wowsers. where do i start? i wrote something about it in a book which i'll publish another time, because it was just too wonderful to describe. we stayed in a BEAUTIFUL, luxurious B and B right by the grand canal, and i wandered the rabbit hole streets for hours and hours. yeh, it was a bit chilly, but things are getting warmer everyday and we escaped tourist season (to some degree - it's always tourist season in venice!)...anyway, i'll try post more later, but for now...I LOVE VENICE! and for photos go to martha's blog - www.marthacorinne.blogspot.com

the second part of paradise is in a private DO NOT ENTER garden right here in Florence, where we are now. i wandered along this huge wall for ages today (by myself, had a wonderful day just wandering whichever way i wanted, until i ended up off the map in some beautiful tuscan streets in the middle of nowhere...!) and then realised there was a BEAUTIFUL garden behind the wall...though i coudln't see over...so, i decided to try figure out how to get in. i scoured the borders of the garden and almost gave up when a car came out and so i snuck in...there was no one inthere....i didn't think i was meant to be either, so i crept around quietly with only the sound of my feet on pebbles and birds twittering (they do that here because it's actually WARM ENOUGH! yup, we're sitting at about TEN DEGREES!!! HOORAY! we love Italy!) and anyway...think the secret garden. greenery everywhere, statues of Roman or Greek gods and godesses, secret hedges with stone benches inside and the remains of some kind of spire, perhaps used for lookouts in the past. my breathe was constantly taken away. i msgd the others and told them to go there, which they did, but were turned away because it was private property, so wasn't God kind to me!!!

anyway, as i said, i wandered for ages, with the sound of the city growing quieter and quieter until i had no idea where i was, but knew i wanted to go UP! further up and further in until the city was far in the distance and i was high up lookingn down on it...oh i saw such beautiful tuscan houses...awww, i love tuscany!

something i wrote whilst sitting down, before i saw all of this beauty>
Today I am in Florence. Alone, as I prefer. Florence. It sounds surreal and majestic and yet I feel just streets away from home. I know that on a map we are far away, but here boys still play soccer on the street, old ladies take time to sit in parks and men banter about one thing or another. I cannot speak their language or ignore their unusual stares, but for a short time I pretend we ar teh same. That these are my cousins playing soccer, that the Asian baby in the pram is on holidays on the Gold Coast and that this is winter in Australia. But I cannot ignore the constant hum of scooters, the open shutters on Tuscan sun-soaked houses or the way that the elderly can command even traffic. This is not Florence. This is Firenze, and I am a million miles from home.

well that's all for me for now! a few shout outs>
+ to paige and her mum who wanna come to aus!
+ to libby and her travel books, may the force be with you
+ to my loyal bloxsom for her love and taking the time to email - love ya heaps
+ to mum and dad, about to jet set off to thailand!!! NOT LONG NOW!!!! SOOOO EXCITED!
+ to rikki, kristin and joshua, because we haven't been able to talk much and i wanna say hi!
+ to all those who read my blog, cos it makes it worth while...leave a message friends, so i can shout out!
and finally, to jordan. for everything. your love, for understanding, for caring, for laughing, for smsing....thanks for Jordan, God.

love to you all
ellie