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Friday 23/07/2010 128
Today we boarded a vaporetto to visit Venice's outlying islands. Our first stop was Murano, famous for it's glass factories. The glass blowers were removed from the main islands to Murano as the fear was that their furnaces would cause fires that would destroy Venice, which at the time was largely built out of wood. After watching a demonstration of glass blowing and purchasing some genuine Murano glass...on Murano we headed on. Our next stop was Burano, which is known for it's lace. Genuine Burano lace was very expensive and instead we enjoyed a walk around the pretty streets with pastel coloured houses. Next stop was Lido, a long thin island that is home to the Venice film festival, and who gave it's name to the decks on cruise ships where you sit in deck chairs to catch some rays. We grabbed takeaway paninis and headed to the beach to eat, however due to peak season the beach was incredibly crowded and the stifling heat made the whole thing fairly unpleasant. We then headed back to our apartment for siesta.
This evening we left the apartment at dusk and made our way towards Piazza San Marco, where we jumped in a Gondola for the quintessential Venice experience. The gondolier took us around some to the narrow canals, under the bridge of sighs and past the church containing Marco Polo's tomb. A dinner of pizza, in view of the water was a wonderful end to our last Venice day.
Thursday 22/07/2010 129
Today was to be 'Big Venice Exploring Day' so we headed on foot back up towards Piazza San Marco. We lined up to visit the Byzantine Basilica di San Marco, which holds the remains of the apostle. Inside it is all domes and marble and ropes herding you around like cattle. Around the edges of the Piazza are arcaded shops and galleries catering to Venice's more wealthy visitors and providing ample window shopping for the rest of us...Chopard anyone?
We then did what you are supposed to do in Venice which is wander and get lost. Despite the heat, the narrow streets meant that it was quite easy to stay in the shade. We meandered in the general direction of the Rialto Bridge (one of only 3 out of 400+ that actually cross the Grand Canal). Past many shops stocking Venetian masks, glassware and tacky souvenirs.
We arrived at the Rialto and jostled for position amongst the hordes of tourists for the obligatory photograph and continued on, after buying cold fruit from a street stall and more gelato we wound our way back to the apartment, the amount of tourists decreasing at every bridge.
I got conned into to cooking dinner, risotto, but made everyone take their turn at stirring the rice.
Wednesday 21/07/2010 130
MY BIRTHDAY
After a mix up with times and places of where we were to meet Mum and Dad, we met them at the nearest vaporetto stop and escorted them to our apartment. A generally lazy day with an afternoon stroll towards the main Piazza or gelato.
In the evening we headed to a nearby restaurant for a celebratory birthday dinner. Primi, secondi and dolce courses as well as a couple of bottles of wine sitting right on the edge of a canal and we were stuffed. I discovered the best (summer) dessert ever-lemon gelato with a shot of vodka poured over it...the gelato goes all foamy when it melts, like a grown up spider!
An after dinner stroll up to the Piazza San Marco, Venice's main square. We walked past the Palazzo Ducale, home of the Doges (leaders) of the republic of Venice and the Bridge of Sighs, so called because condemned prisoners used to be led across to their execution and it was said that you were able to hear them sighing. The area around the bridge was covered in advertising hoarding-what has to be amongst the most expensive adverting space in the world-selling watches.
Tuesday 20/07/2010 131
After having my flight delayed, due to a strike by ground crew at Venice airport, I finally left London Gatwick airport. However I had been notified the day before by multiple emails and sms' so it just left me with extra time to complete my packing in the morning. Gatwick is smaller, newer and generally more pleasant than Gatwick, and I had an uneventful flight of just under 2 hours to Venice. It was a clear day and it was quite a thrill to fly over the alps and see them rising up towards the plane.
It is said the best way to arrive is Venice is by sea and in catching a vaporetto (waterbus) from the airport I did just that. After stops at the islands of Murano and Lido (Venice actually consists of 117 islands) I arrived at the stop to take me to our accommodation for the next 4 days.
The directions provided to the apartment were excellent (cross 2 bridges turn left etc...) and I found it easily located in a small campo (square) well away from the tourist hub. Em and Kim had already arrived and they let me in and after struggling up 3 flights of uneven, worn, narrow steps I entered the apartment. Newly renovated (despite the depressing staircase) it was comfortable and light, complete with plasma screen, wifi and a rooftop terrace, the only downside...my bedroom a tiny room with bunk beds that had to be moved to open the window, and a wardrobe. We spent the evening drinking vino and enjoying the view from our rooftop terrace.
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