"This woman took her cats to a department store to visit Santa and, as you can see, it went quite well." (Via Ash Warner @AlsBoy on Twitter)
Gondola in 60 seconds
Two Germans made off with one of Venice's gondolas. The couple, aged 23 and 24, took the gondola near the Danieli vaporetto (water bus) station and got as far as the island of San Giorgio, after paddling in a roundabout route that took in St Mark's Square. They also saved themselves the 90 ($143) fare. But after collapsing with fatigue, the couple were spotted by a policeman in a nearby vessel. By the time officers caught up with the pair they had disembarked at St Giorgio, according to the Venice edition of Corriere Della Sera. They were said to have told police: "That wasn't us. We don't know anything about the gondola. It's always been here." After checking the facts, the officers returned to their hotel a few hours later to inform them they were under investigation for handling stolen property. The incident is the latest example of tourists behaving badly in the city.
Christmas service gone wrong
"Went to Bed Bath & Beyond Botany Town Centre to buy a table and four chairs for $250 cash," writes John Christie of Pakuranga. "'None in Botany but plenty at Manukau,' they said. 'Great, will you have them sent over to Botany,' I said. 'No, if you want them you go and get them yourself. We don't transfer stuff at Christmas time,' they said. How's that for service? By the way, I'm 88 years old."
