The Flora Island

On our second day in Venice, we left the hotel rather late and I was already in the mood for lunch. We strolled along the street in the direction of the train station in search of a restaurant as I had read on some internet forums that the eateries located along the canal where all the actions were happening would be a tourist trap. Just as I was browsing through the display windows of the shops lining the way, my attention was caught by this island of flowers placed in wicker baskets and faux terra cotta containers on the pavement. My conniving mind quickly plotted the scheme to freeze that vision in photographs for my next painting project, all the while throwing caution not to attract the attention of the shop owner. A few clicks later, victory and I bolted!

 The island of flowers

Not far ahead, we saw a decent restaurant with the waiter busy attending to the customers. Opposite the place was a stall selling tourist knick-knacks including Venetian masks, fridge magnets and key rings. We slowly approached without much anticipation but like a magnet, the waiter’s friendliness pulled us towards a table with two seats on the pavement. The spot that he offered us was perfect to eat and to people-watch, which is one of my favourite pastimes.

Before long, we got what we ordered; I had seafood spaghetti while my husband had seafood pizza. After the incident with half-cooked lunch the day before, who could resist a plate of Italian spaghetti with a medium-sized lobster washed down with a glass of fresh orange juice? I gobbled every single strand, left no morsel of the lobster and the clams and was super contented at the end of the meal. 

The more appetizing lunch that the writer enjoyed compared to the sand-tasted rice the day before.

While waiting for the food to digest, we just sat at the table and watched people walking by, stopped at the souvenir kiosk to shop for reminders of their trip. I still cannot comprehend how I could find bliss in watching people walking by; some hurriedly, others without any aim but the joyful feeling continued on post-vacation period that I completed another watercolour painting of the flower island to remind me of the beautiful city of Venice.

The watercolour painting