Portogruaro, Venice

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A lot was planned for today so we were up at 6.30am to get the 7.35 train to Venice which is a one hour journey. On arrrival we bought a one day ticket for the ferries for the day. Since we weren't there to visit Venice, the first ferry we got was to the island of Murano to see glassware and glass blowing which the island is famous for. Needless to say 4 out of 5 shops has glassware. Some was good, some very good and some just tacky. Diego is keen on a chandalier for his house and there's plenty to choose from but the problem is to keep from being tacky, overdone or too gothic. Simple is better. We visited a glass blowing factory and had to wait in a queue in the sun to get in. Very hot. Then it was hot inside too because of the furnaces. It had objects similar to that at Hoglunds in Nelson and was informative. We also watched someone making mirrors, etching patterns in glass with a diamond tip, and making glass jewellry. I was not tempted to buy.
We then visited the Glass Museum which is a must. It covered the history of glass making in the area and had fine examples of glassware from Roman times to recent. I have to say that much of the ealier stuff was better than what is being produced now. Recent glassware lacks the detail and lightness of earlier objects. In fact, like some of the art we saw the other day, it seems to be the bizarre that represents this age. It was surprising what was being produced in Roman times with much more primitive tools.
While on Murano we also visited the church of San Donato, noted for it's mosaic floor of various rock types - like patchwork quilting done with rocks.
After some lunch by the lighthouse at Murano, we got the ferry across to Burano where Diego tried to negotiate a boat for the visit to the monastery at San Francesco Del Deserto.
They wanted E30 for the trip. He tried another boat and that was E10 for the same trip. They think that tourists can pay more and don't know they're being ripped off. So off we went to the monstery which is set on an island with an abundance of Yew trees. We were met by Paulo, the monk of the day who took us on the tour with Diego translating to English. Unbeknownist to me at the time, this monastery is the one founded by St Francis of Assissi of whom I have a statue on our patio at home. He is the patron saint of animals because he quietened noisey swallows at his command. We named the monk Paulo, 'the monk of the fast feet" because when he learned he had a boatload of women to show around he was off. They were of far more value that 5 tourists on a small boat! The women also thought he was rather handsome (or so Diego said). He was probably starved of seeing women, living with men all the time. Anywas, I digress. The monastery was most interesting and was established in 1220 when St Francis landed there with a companion when he returned from the east. The island was donated to the monks and the buildings have since been built over or rebuilt. It is a tranquil, quite spot. It's a pity there are now only 7 men living there from what once used to be a flourishing order. Piero spent 3 years there as a novice or trainee priest when he was 16 -19. He has an interesting story to tell about why he ended up leaving and getting married instead.
From here we got a boat back to Burano so that we could get another to Torcello. This island is known for the Venetian-Byzantine Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta founded in the 7th Century and was Venice's first cathedral. It has a lovely mosaic floor and superb mosaic murals at the front and back of the building, but the main thing about it is it's unusual architecture inside. At the alter area, there are steps going up high behind it where the chief priest sat like a king on a throne and others sat slightly below him on either side also elevated. It also has a superb round ceiling.
On leaving the building I sat on Attila the Hun's throne, or it's supposed to be his throne. I became Disey the Daft One.
So, back to Burano again for a walking trip around the canals. Burano is my favourite place of the day. It is reasonably quiet, and it is incredibly picturesque with brightly coloured houses. This is because it gets very foggy and it make the houses distinguishable in the fog.
It was getting late, so did we stay or did we go? We went. Like the clappers. First to get the boat off Murano to Fondamenta Nuove in Venice, then like lightening around and through the crowds back to the railway station for the train back to Portogruaro.
On our arrival back, Chef Piero had prepared culinary delights of pasta, shrimp and zuccini, followed by trout and potatoes. Very nice too. He also entertained us with his stories regarding his time at the monastery.



Rebuilt in the 11 th it contains magnificent Byzantine mosaics. One of the highlights of the church's rich decorations can be found on the west wall with a vast mosaic featuring the Last Judgement, but the cathedrals great treasure is the Mosaic of the Madonna in the semi-dome of the apse. Starkly set on a pure gold background, the figure has been hailed by many as one of the most stunning works of Byzantine art in Italy .

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Photos

Houses at Burano
The brightly coloured houses and boats in the canal at Burano