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Breakfast of champions
Venice, Italyuly 4. Murano, Venice, and Burano
So I forgot to set my alarm clock this morning. So luckily we get a phone call wake up call but it didn't leave me much time to get ready for breakfast and then to the bus.
We headed out to a part of Venice called Isola Della Giidecca and went to see a Murano glassblowing demonstration. I've been to some before but those lasted a good 20 to 30 minutes. This one was no more than five to ten minutes before they took us to the show room area to have sit down and look at sets that we could buy at a discounted rate. The show room itself was gigantic with lots of overpriced items. I found a small blue leaf about the size of a half-dollar and they wanted €50 for that (about $60). After being there for an hour we waited for the boat and headed back into the main island of Venice.
We then took a tour of Venice with a local guide. Learned that if the arches are rounded then it's Gothic, if it's pointed it's
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Novotel Hotel
Venice, Italy Byzantine. High rounded windows are Roman. We were told that they don't tear anything down. Everything is pretty much original. They just re-purpose it. For example a nun convent was turned into a Police station. The walkways between the buildings and the different canals are very narrow. The local people have no problems with telling you to get out of the way. LOL.
We then visited Basilica di San Marco. Unfortunately we could not take pictures of the inside. The tile work was amazing on the marble cut stone floor and on the glass and 24 carat gold ceiling. The Basilica was created as the official doge's chapel during the Byzantine era. For the tour of the church women had to make sure their shoulders were covered and nothing above the knee was shown. For those who didn't have the correct coverage they paid one euro for an orange piece of cloth to wrap around the shoulders or to wrap around the waist. At the end of the tour they had to return it. Men could not wear hats.
After the 20 minute tour, We were then let go from
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Venice, Italy 12 to 3:30 to tour on our own and shop. I grab some gelato and a pastry. I was able to find a Murano pendant that was quite cheaper than what they were selling at the factory. I also picked up more souvenirs and gifts for family and friends. The day is nice and breezy but the temperatures is getting warmer. It was nice just to relax in the plaza in the shade on the steps with thousands of other people visiting the area. Also, being it's the Fourth of July in America I have been listening for American accents and wishing those people happy Independence Day. Most of the the people I've met are or from the East Coast or Midwest.
The only downside visiting here are the restrooms. Restrooms here in Europe are indicated with letters WC which stands for water closet. Most of the restrooms look like little closets that you have to go into to do your business. I used one restaurants restroom up on the second floor, because you rarely see any restrooms on the first floor. (by the way the bottom ground floor is considered zero while the second
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Loading of cargo and food to take into Venice
Venice, Italy floor to Americans is considered first.) There was only two stalls, One for men and one for women. The line for the women was long and none for the men. So I went into the men's toilet because it's exactly the same kind of toilet as the women's. So I had to clean it off, use my hand sanitizer, and then sit down on the cold steel toilet bowl. Ugh.
As I continued shopping in the palaza, I came across a store that sold Venetian lace and fabrics. I was able to pick up a hand crafted Venetian piece to frame when I get home. After I finish shopping in the plaza I went and took more pictures of the church before heading back to our pick up point. I was able to find a restaurant next to our pick up point that was in the shade but with plenty of shade and a nice breeze since it was 80° outside. I ordered an almond pastry pie, with a side of french fries, and a bottle of water. Those three items came to a total of €20.
We boarded another
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taking items into the city via boat
Venice, Italy private boat for a 45 minute ride to Burano. We passed one island where it was covered in Cypress trees. It was used as the cemetery for Venice. We passed the island of Murano, where the glass blowers lived. Along the way to the island we stay between these pylons that are set in the water. This is the area that is safe for boaters not to get caught up on underground obstructions. This area is consistently dredged so that boats can travel safely across the water. It's like a water highway.
When we arrive to Burano all the docks were taken up so we have a tie our boat next to two other boats and then hop through the two boats to get to the mainland. We ate at a local restaurant called Trattoria De La Ua. They had an area in the back with AC!! One could have a fish based dinner or a meat based dinner. I of course opted for meat (chicken). They brought out a snapper pate to eat with your bread. I tasted it and yes it had a slightly fish taste but it was more like tuna. The
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Venice, Italy first course was a pasta with red sauce, peas, and mushrooms. It was enjoyable after I pushed all the mushrooms to the side. Then I got a meat lasagna as the second course. The lasagna was very moist and mushy and cheesy. Very good. Next was supposed to be chicken and french fries. They brought the chicken out but when I cut off a slice and ate it it was horrible tasting. I asked the lady across me who is also having chicken and she thought the same thing.. So we both declined eating it. Then they brought out french fries for us to enjoy. I declined since I had half a plate just two hours previously. For dessert they brought out these biscuits that you soak in wine and then eat, along with an almond bark concoction that was delicious. They also serve a bore fruit of which I only recognize peaches. So I ate a green little fruit that was very delicious but the skin was very tart. Come to find out it was a type of local plum. I excused myself from the table and went off into the marketplace to look around before we had to
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Ferry to the different islands
Venice, Italy be back in about an hour. Once again I was looking for Venetian bobbin lacing but of course the one store that had it was super expensive. The regular needle work from Burano didn't interest me with their designs. I was able to help one of the couples from our trip translate with the shopkeeper about the jewelry. I use a translation app that actually worked. I still want to pick up some more class but nothing really appeal to me. When I got to the very last stall before the end of the plaza there was a couple pieces that I liked. Very cheap so I don't think they were Murano glass even know the guy said it was.
We boarded the boat back to the mainland to catch the bus to head back to our hotel. We got to the hotel just before 8 o'clock at night. Tomorrow we eat at 7 o'clock to leave at 8 and head to Vienna for the next two days.
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