Dope Of Domane

Wednesday. Trying to dispel the rumor that he was first to breakfast in Lucca, Jim skidded into the breakfast room 10 minutes before it closed. He then politely asks the serving woman if he is too late...in Italian. She smilingly corrects his choice of words and gestured him to a table and then shushes him for whistling. The give and take teasing continues and he asks if she will be bothering him everyday. She responds "non domaine, dopo domane".... Not tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, but for the rest of the day Jim was The Dope of Domane (is that like a Doge?) After Jim finished harassing the staff we set out to find the store where we have bought masks in the past...we were commissioned to procure one for Jim's sister and I wanted one to match the Christmas mask I had made two years ago. The tiny woman who, along with her daughter, makes all the amazing masks in her shop, was there painting away. We looked around and then began to talk with her I tried to tell her we have bought masks from her before and she tells me, she remembers and begins to describe the masks we have purchased in the past. She asks about my parents and how they are doing...I am amazed since I can barely remember what masks we have or what we did two years ago! We make our selections and as she kisses us farewell she says she remembers us because we smile...she always remembers the ones that smile. We walk through to the Cannaregio sestiere and do some window shopping. In one campo we stop to watch the Venetian version of Mayflower Moving Company, moving furniture and belongs first by boat, then by hand truck and finally up three floors by an automatic ladder system. Suddenly there is a lot of barking and growling and we are witness to a dog, running lose, attacking another dog on a leash who is walking with its owner. The owners finally separate the dogs and then they begin yelling at each other, then a woman runs out of a restaurant and begins yelling at both of them....they are really frightened of her....finally they are all just standing around obviously waiting for something....and then the police arrive ( just like home, yeah right) to take a report ( woman is still yelling at everyone) and then leave with dogs and owners in tow. Then the fruit vendor asks the woman what business of hers was the dog disagree, and more yelling begins....we decide now is a good time to move on. We have dinner at a tiny restaurant that we ate at last time we were here. The meal is delicious and afterwards she also treats us to a limoncello. Jim thinks we are getting the limoncello because we eat everything .....and proclaims them "the we eat like pigs limoncello"! Another nighttime tour through the Grand Canal.

Thursday. We have a quiet breakfast ...Jim's friend is off today. After covering ourselves with zanzare (mosquito) repellent, we just wander the twisting alleyways...map in hand. Looking in shops, checking out menus and people watching. We stop at a small cicchetti bar (a Venetian version of a tapas restaurant) to check out the menu and the owner runs out telling Jim to come in and look at his food ...maybe our "we eat like pigs" reputation precedes us! They are so kind and friendly that we decide to return for dinner. Now any of you that know Jim prepare yourselves. The cicchetti are a mixture of seafood and vegetables...some identifiable and some not....Jim just dove right in veggie or not...it was fun and wonderful. We followed the cicchetti with spaghetti and clams and of course...the we ate like pigs limoncello. We walked around, enjoyed the Venice night and then purchased some Grom gelato. Its kind of like an Italian baskin-robins. The couple behind us was reading the menu...he had been told she only wanted a bite of his and so he could pick what ever he wanted...well except vanilla, that's boring......or pistachios and you know I don't like chocolate.....and what's that pesca ....who would eat fish ice cream?! Jim explained that pesce was fish, pesca was peach, and delicious. The gentleman ended up with vanilla and blueberry. Jim ordered the "guisto del mese" (the flavor of the month), menta e coiccolato (mint chocolate chip) but when she hands him his cone it's white with pieces of chocolate...he's muttering, it's stracciatella (italian version of chocolate chip) only Pam eats that crap...I wanted mint...but then he tastes it, and it is delicious mint! It's home again down the Grand Canal, under the Rialto Bridge and off to bed...well after more zanzare repellant!