118 Islands, Did you know?

Day 12

It is true that Venice is made up of 118 islands and so now that the public transportation, a WATER BUS system, was running again we decided to go and explore some of them.  And I would say that it is far wiser and just as fun if not more than the gondolas even if it isn't as iconic for Venice.  We got a 12 hour pass and loved every minute of it riding out on the open sea.

Window boxes and the like should be a mandatory.

 I wish I had sunnies (sunglasses).

Murano---an island known for glass-blowing was our first stop.

And this is what a bus stop looks like in Venice.

Look there is visible land on this island ;)

There was a free demonstration on the island of how they make the glass (very clever because it gets you in the door and then you spend all your money on souvenirs; we did each buy a piece of jewelry as they were half off and then at a stand we each got a little something else: mine was a picture frame, thank goodness they wrapped it in bubble wrap and tape or I would never have gotten it home in one piece).  The one man explained in English and Italian what the master is doing in making the shapes.  We saw him make a simple clear vase and a horse figurine.  It took him no more than 4 minutes a piece and the master certainly made it look awfully simple.  

What a fantastic skill!

 Can you imagine using tongues to pull at them and having to pull figuring in the pull of gravity and the spinning you are putting on it and not to mention the time crunch as the glass begins to cool.

I couldn't even think of how long you have to apprentice.

It was just plain funny to see this as we were waiting for the bus.

Cimitero--the cemetery and monastery island was next.

Unfortunately you could not take any pictures on the island so these are the ones I took from the outside.  However, it was absolutely peaceful and reverent even.  You could not put your loved one a more perfect place to rest in the afterlife.  I was able to sit and think and enjoy watching a cute old lady tend some of the plots.  A nice little surprise for me was to see a beautiful magnolia tree there, just like the one in my backyard.

 We saw the Venetian version of a hearse passing us.

 Just quaint.

In the very back you can see Venice on its separate island.

 Finally we returned to Venice but we went to the other side of the island from where we were staying and visited San Marco, the main tourist attraction known by name in the city.  I must say it was a piece of history that surprised me but I am certainly glad we didn't stay anywhere near here--way too many people.

I was interesting to watch people be extremely entertained by the birds.  

This girl was feeding them and ended up getting a large crowd around her.

 Doesn't she look a part of the architecture?

Piazza's clock, beautiful bells

 Look at those amazing Byzantine paintings and architecture.

Riding the lion, just as he should be.

It took us a few tries to get the angle right on this one but in the end it turned out pretty well don't you think.

On our way home on the bus it started raining!  All the other passengers hid in the center and underneath in the hull, but Aubrey and I just leaned out and enjoyed it.  It was warm and large drops, lovely.  It reminded me of home, but I am sure we were rather odd tourists to be seen.  The shower was short but sweet and oh thank goodness cooled off the temperature at least ten degrees.

We did feel a little bad for those in the gondolas when the storm started.

During our siesta time we heard chanting and looked out our windows to see an anti-abortion rally.  Go team!  I love that good morals can be seen everywhere.

I also found a very comfy and beautiful place to write in my journal of all our doings.

Dinner that night was the best yet.  We walked a long way trying to find a restaurant that would serve us chicken parmesan, but it does not exist there, I promise we looked.  Finally we stopped at a restaurant with a waiter who taught me how to say good evening instead of just good day.  You wouldn't think you should correct the customer, but it was one of my favorite bits.  I liked learning a little bit more of the place I was visiting; it makes the experience more real.  I got a fabulous muscle pasta dish and we got serenaded by a cute old man with an accordion.

I smiled more than I can say when I realized he was playing the song "Que Sera Sera" just like hearing my mother's voice singing to me at night--made me a little homesick.

On our way home we passed the one and only McDonalds of Venice, and we stopped to get food for our meals on Sunday.  What an adorable little store to see and enjoy, but I certainly did not enjoy having to point at things to communicate what I want.  Language is a peculiar little thing.

We also stopped to enjoy the most fabulously colorful sunset I have ever seen.  Never before have I had more desire to be able to paint what I saw.

 A picture is worth a thousand words, and in this case maybe a little more.

 As we rested I even sang Aubrey all the cute verses of Que Sera Sera.

 A mark of friendship if I have ever seen one.

Dream of beauty and may it help you see the good and great in everything, everyday.

Venice Is Still Floating

Day 11

Up we got, packed in almost silence so as not to wake our other roommates and discovered a sign as we left that said there would be a public transportation strike from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and we breathed a sigh of relief that we were leaving Rome and would be done with public transportation long before 9.  What an inconvenience for a tourist to not have the use of public transportation in such a city as this!  However how very kind of the unions to publicly announce a strike beforehand so that at least the locals and well-informed tourists could plan ahead of time how to get around without the use of it.  Certainly a different world. Considerate Italians.

We did take a bus to the train station and hoped on a train to Venice.  The only real problem we had was trying to get our luggage to fit in the racks provided.

The best part of the train ride was when a girl walked up and started to ask if the seats were taken and then breathed, "English, oh thank goodness!" Our new companions were 2 British girls from Cambridge (what luck) who spent the entire trip chatting with us about traveling and what to see and do.  They were just like us having a fun trip with their best friend.  Throughout our trip we made friends everywhere and it made it a most comfortable and almost world family thing.

(The view as soon as you exit the train station.)

Storing our luggage at the hostel until check-in time we started exploring the city as we had no real plans of what to see and do.  We began by getting little sandwiches and exiting on the edge of the Grand Canal being completely pestered by large fat pigeons and flirtatious Italian men passing in boats.

We spent the entire day wandering the city seeing the streets, well walking paths and bridges since there are no roads in this maze of a city but it is absolutely gorgeous.  I took far too many photos.  Also the view out our hostel window was a beautiful church.

I honestly think that with the use of Aubrey's trusty map skills we walked almost the entire city.

We found the only park in the whole place.  It was nice to see greenery again.

Bright warm sunshine of the day made it just amazing.

Gondolas and gondoladeers are everywhere although we never actually rode on one--far too expensive and not overly worth it when the public transportation is on the water as well.

Not the kind of Venetian masks you think of but quite fascinating and well made.

 She (above) is pondering views like this (below).

However, at least five times a day a view like this would inspire Aubrey to look at me and say, "How is Venice not sinking?  How did they build it?"  and I would reply, "Ask your city development professor at Cambridge."  I don't know if she has gotten an answer yet but I will keep you posted. 

A cute little couple having a picnic by the water's edge 

(which really isn't hard to find in Venice).

A church we entered to see and later went to mass at on Sunday morning since we couldn't figure out how to get to the LDS Chapel on the mainland for church.

 You really don't see any grass or land area, just cement and water, 

but all the plants everywhere help the feel a little bit.

 There is a certain bridge in Venice where couples put locks to symbolize the strength of their love hence they are called "Love Locks."  A very nice thought and rather sweet, maybe someday I will go put one on the bridge to mark my own love life.  It made us both smile to see how many there were and how old.

 What a sunset!

Aubrey kept laughing at me on the whole trip because I kept taking pictures of lions, but they are such beautiful creatures and as they are a symbol of royalty they are carved everywhere in Europe.

I really wanted to ride this one; am I 4 yrs old--sometimes "Oh Yes!"

 What I could see from my window at the hostel.  Even at night it was a sight to be seen.

By the time we got home we were both so exhausted that we just crashed and slept hard not to mention that I had a terrible blister or two on a couple of my toes...ouch, but well worth the effort.