Venice Carnival 2006

In February, my boyfriend and I went off to Venice for the annual masked-carnival. This was my third and best carnival and Paul's first. I lived in Venice for three magical months in 2003, working in a mask shop so during this holiday I got to show Paul some of my old haunts and we also did some very touristy things like have coffee in Florian and Bellinis in Harry's Bar. Great fun! Here are some pictures.

















A self-portrait using a reflective door of me and Paul in our carnival masks.
















Here is my mask in detail.















Here's how it should really be done!

Isle of Man

For Christmas, we went to stay with my boyfriend’s family on the Isle of Man, my first visit there. I found it to be a really pretty place, very rural inland and faded seaside townish in Douglas. The weather was sunny but cold and there was a light frost on Christmas day, unlike the snow and rain we usually have at Christmas in Newcastle. It’s a place that is rich in folklore, I said hello to the fairies on the fairy bridge, visited sights seen in Waking Ned and saw the church that the Buggane pulled the roof off.





























COB at the Fairy Bridge























The black rocks of Niarbyl

St Trinian's

Swindon

I spent a lovely weekend with my good friends Kate and Robert in Swindon, well when I say Swindon, they took me to some nicer places such as Marlborough, Avebury and Bath (I adored and would recommend visiting the Roman Baths). Here we are at the fantastic standing stones in Avebury.

Me and Kate

Robert hugging a stone

Stone Man