Venice - A City Built On Water
Italy's Enchanted City
There aren't enough adjectives to describe Venice - romantic, mysterious, enchanting. We arrived late in the afternoon, caught a vaporetto, and within minutes were in St. Mark's Square, shamelessly ogling the gorgeous St Mark's Basilica with its stunning mosaics and onion towers. Just before sunset is a magical time in Venice. The crowds have thinned, the air is cooler, and the light has dimmed enough to cast inviting shadows across the wide piazza. Miles, our patient tour guide, was the realist that led us grudgingly on to our hotel, reminding us we had two days, and we could return as many times as we wanted. A maze of narrow, cobblestone streets lined with intriguing shops and restaurants smelling of coffee and fresh pasta led over an aging bridge and to our hotel. We opted for a quick nap, and, in the evening did our best to retrace our steps, treating ourselves to an orgy of window shopping - mesmerized by all shapes and sizes of blown glass, masks decorated with colorful sequins and feathers, stylish designer clothes, and the most elaborate shoes imaginable. It was great fun to wander aimlessly and follow Rick's advice: You're on an island; you can't get lost. Eventually, you'll find your way. If you get tired, just stop for gelato and start again. We ended our evening with a moonlight gondola ride through the romantic silence of the Venetian Grand Canal.
Yes, the Pasta Is Delicious
We were determined to enjoy as much as much Italian pasta as humanly possible. Our first night in Venice we ate dinner at the restaurant across from our hotel. Nabil ordered a seafood pasta plate. As you can see, it was impressive. The next evening, dinner was at a streetside restaurant just a few blocks from St. Marks' Square where we sampled squid ink pasta with a fresh caprese salad and an aperol spritz on the side. It was a unique dish - black and salty.
Murano for Blown Glass and Burano for Lace
Murano and Burano are two colorful fishing villages across the lagoon from Venice and available by vaporetto. Murano is famous for blown glass and Burano for lace. For years, I've collected Murano art pieces; I love the swirls of color and metallic flecks of mineral in the glass. We had to go. On the island, we visited a glass factory and at least a dozen glass studios. We planned to buy just one signature piece, but the choices were overwhelming until a gracious, young saleswoman took us under her wing and spent almost two hours guiding us through a maze of showrooms and explaining carefully every detail of the glass blowing process. When we eventually settled on the piece we wanted, she introduced us to the artist who created it and invited us to share a glass of proseco with him on the rooftop patio overlooking their glass factory. The shopping experience made our Murano visit unforgettable. In the afternoon, we were content to hop another vaporetto to Burano to enjoy lunch and a lesson in the art of lace making.
Three Things I Learned While Travelling in Venice
1. Take the time to enjoy early afternoon power naps. The further south you go in Europe, the warmer it gets. Get up early to avoid the heat of the day, then come back for a few hours break. Cruise ships come in between ten and four. The crowds during that time are unbearable, but if you wait until early evening to go out, the streets are quiet, and you can really enjoy the soft ambiance of Venice. This is when we took our gondola ride, and it was as if we were on another planet - absoliutely silent except for the lapping of dark water against the oars.
2. Use your cell phone for pictures. Unless you are taking serious art shots, it works just as well as a camera and is a lot easier to carry. The first couple of days, I carried my
camera everywhere, but I soon learned it was heavy and awkward when
using public transportation. By the end of the trip, I started to run out
of cell phone memory, but it was simple to delete a few apps I didn't use
much and replace them when I got home. It was also more convenient to
send pictures back to my friends via Facebook or email.
3. Get to know your tour guide and bus driver. Miles was a wonderful tour guide, young and enthusiastic. Every morning on the bus, he spent time with each one of us going through our plans for the day and offering very practical ideas on how to get the best our of them. Anything he didn't know, he was quick to research and get an answer for. Our driver, Derek, had over thirty years of experience driving in Europe and possessed a wealth of knowledge he was willing to share. Breakfast was the perfect time to share a cup of coffee with him.
