Hi, don't know if you'll remember but I contacted you last spring when I found your site and realized we'd been in India (some of the same locations) just before you or after you...not sure now.  Anyway, i check your site from time to time to see where you are.  Funny, to read that you're in Italy now, we are planning a trip for the end of November - Rome and Siena.  Also, had to laugh out loud at your Russian CS guide.  Our neighborhood, here in San Francisco is rich with Russian markets - they have great stuff, but I always have to consider whether I'm up for the abuse, or if I should just skip it and go to Trader Joe's!  :-) 

I was in Venice last year with my wife for our anniversary I had taken her on a canal boat holiday which she loved it's sad the water is rising but it's also happening in holland.