Over the hills, under the moon - and off the beaten path

  Is there  a place more hauntingly beautiful than Venice in the winter? The crowds of tourists have long left the city and when we walk the alleys and bridges this weekend the intricate canals and narrow streets feels quiet and almost ethereal. The constantly drizzling winter rain only adds to the atmosphere. As we make our way through the streets, the sound of the raindrops hitting the cobblestones creates a soothing, peaceful background noise, and the scent of damp earth and stone fills our nostrils. This evening, we are taking the 'giro d'ombre, v isiting some of the many cafés, which offer 'cicchetti' (the Venetian variety of tapas) - accompagnied by the 'ombre', tiny glasses of red wine.    We take our time and savor the experience of baccalà made of 'stoccafisso' (air dried cod ) and calamares served on polenta, while we watch the rain continue to fall outside. Walking back home along the canals, the water takes on a glass...