Full Day in Venice

Sorry it has been so long since I posted folks.  And now it is getting disorganized, but I thought I would put out what I had.  I am currently in the Tuscan hills.  Gorgeous!  Will try to update as I can!  I am going to enjoy the last few days.

April 23, 2010

Full Day in Venice

Weather this day was a bit questionable. It looked as though it might rain. I was a little bummed about that because we were asked not to bring a backpack. It turns out that if you want to go into St. Mark's cathedral you cannot bring a back pack. A huge purse, sure, but a back pack no. So, the only day I might have to use an umbrella was also the day I wasn't able to bring the back pack. Luckily I have the smallest travel umbrella around and it fit in my pocket pretty well. I also had to deal with carrying the camera around my neck the whole day. I am going to have the strongest neck muscles from lugging that thing around Italy!

The first thing we did that morning was to see a demonstration of glass blowing. It was pretty amazing to see the guy create something beautiful out of a glowing blob of glass. He made a vase first, but the amazing thing was the horse he created. It was crazy to see how he pulled the legs and really created something out of nothing. It looked so delicate and intricate.

After the demonstration we took a 45 minute boat ride around the islands to the island of Burano. It was during this ride that I really started to understand the structure of Venice. Venice is not a natural island. It is built on top of wooden logs put into the water. On our ride we got to see a new island under construction. They put all the logs into the water, then fill in with sand. It was pretty amazing to think of that whole island sitting on top of that structure.

The island of Burano is one that most people have seen pictures of. If you have been in my classroom you have most definitely seen an image of it because one of the puzzles on the wall is from Burano. The island also has houses that are very brightly colored in pinks, blues and purples with canals running through it. It is an adorable little town. I walked all over trying to find the exact spot of the puzzle in my classroom. I got one that I think is close, but will have to see when I get back. Our purpose on Burano was a seafood lunch. This lunch was in the Italian style, with course, after course, after course. We started the meal with a snapper pate. I will admit that I was a little nervous about the looks of some of the things we were served, but man, everything was delicious. This pate was great on a roll shaped like a seashell. Our second course was a seafood lasagna. It was very rich, and absolutely delicious. A third course included risotto, again with seafood. I can't remember if it was calamari or clams. We were also served fried calamari and shrimp. I generally don't like fried calamari because it is too tough. This, however, was fantastic! Next we got a green salad with tomatoes and a piece of grilled fish. By this time we were all crying mercy. It was so much food. All the time we were eating we were also given an unlimited supply of rose or white wine. It was very good as well. We ended the meal with a dessert of almond brittle and little cookies. The coffee was a must if we had any hope of staying awake for the rest of the day.

Back on Venice proper we were scheduled to have a tour with a local guide. It was really thinking about raining so it was nice that our tour was inside St. Mark's cathedral and the Doge's palace. St. Mark's cathedral was really amazing inside. There were mosaics with gold all over the ceiling. Next we went to the Doge's palace. I have to be honest, this was just not my thing. There were many beautiful paintings, but I wasn't very interested. I think part of the problem was the huge lunch combined with the mid-trip lull in energy.

After the tour we had some time to wander the streets of Venice. Unfortunately it had started raining lightly and I was exhausted. I made a quick stop in the Ferrari store (just for Mark!) and then found a bar to sit and have a cappuccino. I sat for a while when I overheard someone talking about the Rialto bridge. I realized that I hadn't been there yet. As much as my legs didn't want to get up, I couldn't pass up the chance to see it during the daylight. The neat thing about Venice is that you don't really have to know how to get where you are going. As long as you know the general direction you can get to the Rialto bridge or Piazza San Marco, St. Mark's square. All you have to do is follow the signs posted on the corners of the buildings every few blocks. I am glad I decided to walk to the Rialto bridge. It is pretty amazing and has some great views of the canals. There are a lot of little shops lining both sides of the bridge.

By the end of this day I was exhausted! My legs actually got close to as tired as I remember feeling during the marathon. Not only did I walk a lot, but there were a lot of stairs on all the bridges to deal with. I am very glad to have experienced Venice, I just wish we had more time to have done it at a slower pace.