Guidecca is a small island across the Venice Lagoon. Fairly deserted in the off season, we turned our backs on busier Venice (reflected in this shop window), and felt like we had Guidecca to ourselves for the day.

Most of the small working boats in the few canals were still covered for winter. This small boat builder wasn't open. A graceful Gondola form looks like it's in use, occasionally.

Few people around, this woman was doing what most people do in Italy(where the cost of electricity is very high), on laundry day - hanging out the clothes to dry.

But it's the perfect time to visit. Just go on AirBnB and pick a flat for a few days. It's off season so it will be cheap. Looks like a flat comes with a bag of oranges and a bottle of Prosecco.

The highlight for us was finding this restaurant(recommended by a lovely Venetian woman we met on the Vaporetto). As we were the only ones on the deck, the owner came out introduced himself(in very good english-typical). He's the 5th generation to own and run the ancient building on a canal. He gave us a photo post card showing that the canal in 1820 - like the ownership of the restaurant - hasn't changed much in 200 hundred or so years.

Local white wine(it was my birthday), locally caught grilled bream, fresh artichokes(what a difference from what we get), fresh greens, the local Olive oil and fresh bread - unbelievable.