The Island of Glass Blowing

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Geo: 45.4574, 12.3549

This island is famous for glass blowing. As soon as we got off the boat we were ushered to come and see a free glass blowing demonstration. It was quite good. Firstly he made a vase and then a horse. He quickly worked with the glass before it cooled down and was unworkable. We found it quite interesting and were fascinated by their skills. After the demonstration we had a look around their shop. There were some beautiful pieces of glasswork, but very expensive and not practical to purchase at the start of a backpacking trip. As soon as we walked out of the shop, there was a different person announcing a free glass blowing demonstration. We went to see it. This man also made a vase and a horse. It only takes them a few minutes to make it. After another browse in the shop we walked around the island to explore it.

We found a trattoria that we liked the look of for lunch. Pasta, wine and friends- a fantastic lunch! After more wandering around and browsing the many souvenir shops we had a necessary ice-cream shop stop.

Mid-afternoon we caught the vaporetto to the nearby island of Burano.

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Photos

01 Glass Blowing Demonstration
Shaping the glass into a vase.

02 Glass Blowing Demonstration
Shaping the glass into a vase.

03 Glass Blowing Demonstration
Shaping the glass into a vase.

04 Glass Blowing Demonstration
Shaping the glass into a vase.

05 Glass Blowing Demonstration
Adding the finishing touches to the vase.

06 Glass Blowing Demonstration
Melting the glass in the oven.

07 Glass Blowing Demonstration
Shaping the glass into a horse.

08 Glass Blowing Demonstration
Shaping the glass into a horse.

09 Glass Blowing Demonstration
Shaping the glass into a horse.

10 Glass Blowing Demonstration
Shaping the glass into a horse.

11 Viola!
The end result, a beautiful, colourful glass horse.

12 Main Canal
The main canal in Murano.

13 Santa Maria and San Donato
A nice brick church across the canal.

14 Maintenance Boat
The equivalent to 'Jims Mowing', but a boat!

15 Me and Jess
Us on a bridge over a canal in Murano.

16 Canal
A boat transporting flagons of wine- a very important job in Italy.

17 Santo Stefano
The church of Santo Stefano with a bright, blue glass sculpture in front.

18 Through the wrought iron
Looking through the wrought iron down the canal.

19 Bright and Blue
A bright, blue glass sculpture.

20 Trattoria
The trattoria where we earlier had lunch.

21 Birds of Glass
A large display of glass birds.

22 Residential
A view of the typical residential area on the island.