More walking around Asolo

Sounds boring, and probably is to read about it. 

But then, the idea of this blog is for us to have a record to look back on,  and I am not looking for a job as a travel writer.

We walked down one of the main roads to a small settlement called Pagnano, about 2 km down the hill.  Beautiful walk down through a wealthy area, trees, vineyards, olive trees, nice houses.

The little settlement was not as affluent feeling, but still Ok.  On the corner was an old water mill, which we found out later was used for metal working.

Looking up property on the net, it appears it is for sale at around $250,000 NZ. At a small cafe we had a coffee.  I asked for a Latte, as this usually results in something like a NZ flat white. No, a tiny cup arrived with a teaspoon of milk.  I give up: you just cannot get NZ coffee in Italy. The hotel comes close, supplying blow your head off coffee in a jug every morning.  After 2 cups of this you wonder why you feel dehydrated all morning.

The next day a walk was chosen by me which almost resulted in mutiny by the crew.  Well it is not my fault if someone has a kilometre long driveway to their house, all up hill, gravel under foot and lots of flies, saying, yes, Asolo this way!

Turns out the sign was talking about a road five metres further on.

It did start out nice though, the usual country lane with nice views.

For the record, it started out as Via San Martino, end ended up as Via Forello.

On arrival in the piazza, it was found necessary to have large ice cream sundaes and a cheese sandwich.  Yes, naughty, but that is all they sell!
Here is the view from the cafe of he piazza:

Man are they busy, like one armed Italian ice cream sellers.  Another year of this and those two brothers can retire to the Bahamas.

Today is sad mad day,  as we are leaving Asolo, and this is being written in a railway station waiting room in Castelfranco,  Veneto.  We hope to get on board a train back to Mestre, where we have three nights at Al Vivito Hotel in Mestre, which is a fifteen minute bus ride to Venice. 

We did have a trip in to Venice about seven days ago, just for one day. Nobody told us just how big, and confusing it all is.  Pretty, but you have to trudge for miles, consuming coca cola and bits of pizza along the way.  Our plan was to get to the main square.  We  did not even get close!  Of course you can buy a water bus ticket, but at 25 Euros each, not something you would do every day.

Funny thing about Italy: nobody speaks any English, yet whenever you hear a radio, it is playing a song with English words.

Another funny thing: when us cheapskates go looking for a Laundromat, it seems the locals just do not comprehend Italian. The word for laundromat is lavenderia,  so if you say "dove la lavenderia?",  you get a blank look.

After saying it several times the penny drops, and they go "Oh, la lavendeeeeeriiiiiiaaaaa!"  Guess it pays not to say it in a monotone Kiwi accent.