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Published: June 17th 2007
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We began our day with meeting our 3rd Amerigo friend at the bus/train station on the island of Venice and then taking the water shuttle to the island of Murano, famous for making glass specifically for the Mom member of
The Son & Mom Bonding Excursion Team. Murano is much like Venice but on a less grand scale and definitely much quieter. We arrived on the island at the common Italian “siesta” time—between noon and 2:00 so it was difficult to find any of the glass furnaces in operation. We did find several who were making smaller pieces so we did enjoy that amazement. A special treat was visiting with a younger glass blower as he was making little animals out of glass.
The Son of the team found a very unique, beautiful piece in this shop so that was the Murano purchase to commemorate our trip.
The Son is rather intruiqed by the process and the beauty of glass also. (He is more amused by all the fine European autos.) After one more glass purchase, the trip financier decided it would be best to get off the island of Murano.
We shuttled back to Venice to visit the
Basilica in San Marcos square. This Basillica is where Mark is buried. Strangely, the Veneticans didn’t have their own “saint” so they stole his body in the 800’s and smuggled it back to Venice. The 3 Amerigos didn’t pay for the extra tour to see his burial spot in the church. It was beautiful as were all the churches we have visited on our Tour. Of course pictures can’t be taken in any of the churches so the images are captured in our hearts.
Our next tour was of
Doge's Castle. That was an eerie tour because of that “dark” gothic period of time. From the Doge’s living quarters and the halls of the judicial system, we crossed the “Bridge of Sighs” and entered the prison of the day. We toured all the prison area in the bottom of the castle. It was all you would imagine as you think of the gladiator days, shackled prisoners, and musty smells. We were in the underground prison area at closing time and had a brief period of disorientation on how to get out. June in Venice is extremely warm; the formula of seaside humidity, heat, and being lost in a 1400s prison
under a trillion-ton castle and near panic begins to close in. Fortunately, 2 tour guides found the little team and pointed us in the correct direction. The 3 Amerigos could give the castle a lesson on signage.
We were ready to call it a day so we next headed to the bus/train terminal by working our way through the narrow streets of Venice—like working through a maze. On our flight from Rome to Venice, we sat by a Venice local who told us you could walk across Venice in 15 minutes. Those were words of wisdom from a physician who “was fortunate to have lived in Venice since 1989.” For 3 Amerigos from Broken Arrow, that 15-minute maze-walk took at least 25 minutes. We made it to the bus terminal only to find the bridge from the island of Venice to the mainland was closed
BECAUSE A TORNADO HAD BLOWN 10 TREES DOWN AT THE BRIDGE ENTRANCE ON THE LAND SIDE! Check this out!
Venice Tornado While we were on the island, there was a light rain momentarily but otherwise it was a gorgeous day all day. (God has blessed us in so many ways on our trip so
Murano Island
Drinking fountains found on the Islands. Yes, the water is good. Fill up your water bottle then walk and walk. far.) We said to ourselves, “There is something wrong with this picture.” The 3 Amerigos, from the land of the world’s most known area for tornados, go to Venice to experience a tornado! The polizia tell us (as the other thousands) we would have to take the train to get back to the mainland (about 3 miles). As we were considering that cost, all were told the traffic was beginning to move. So we wait a little while and our bus arrives. We board our bus (city transit) with the excitement we would soon be in our beds letting our aching feet rest (cobblestone gets pretty tough after 2 full walking days)—only to sit on a creeping bus for an hour. We finally make it to the storm damaged area to see on the side of the road the cross sections of the huge trees that had blown across the road but had been cut and cleared.
Totally exhausted and famished, the 3 Amerigos decided to get a quick dinner then crash for the night. There were only 2 restaurants between the bus drop-off point and our hotel; one was a biker mafia-looking bar/restaurant which Mom quickly informed Son
Murano Island
Maker of our special glass piece. that wasn’t an appropriate place for “women.” The other was a Tex-Mex mom and pop restaurant. Because the 3rd Amerigo had been out of the
God Bless America for so long, she insisted on Tex Mex. We had an interesting
BOWL of nachos with an Italian slant. They were quite good even though they were served in a bowl.
So the 3rd Amerigo joined us as she slept on the floor of the room so that we could get up early the next morning for our trip to Verona Italy. The plan was to tour Verona, drop off the 3rd Amerigo at the train station so she could continue her European back-pack trip, and
The Son & Mom Bonding Excursion Team would head for the Lake Garda region to continue the bonding process—driving our little rented
Renault Clio. So that ended our days in Venice—a picturesque city one should visit at least once in a lifetime. Be sure to book your tour when you know there will be no tornados.
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Lee Ann
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I was there!
Our tour bus crossed the bridge from the mainland 15 minutes before the tornado hit!!! The group behind us wasn't allowed through until the next day. Isn't Venice fabulous!!!!!????