July 11

(our boat)

Free day! Free day! Well almost. This morning we did have an appointment on Murano Island to visit a Murano glass factory. The glass company sent two really nice boats to pick us up at the hotel. Our driver looked like he just walked out of a Lacoste ad. Pink pants, a gray polo with small pink polka dots, golden brown hair, and perfectly white lacoste shoes. You would have thought we had never ridden in or even seen a boat before. Everyone jumped, giggled, and ewed and awed over our transportation! 

Murano did not disappoint. As soon as we arrived they whisked us into the workshop to see a glass artisan do his thing. He made a candleholder and a horse. Seriously the way he manipulated the glass was unreal. He would poke and pull the hot glass and somehow created a very identifiable object! This man has given his voice for the trade of glass making, he sounded like he had been smoking for more years than he could possibly be alive.  

After the impressive presentation we went through rooms of beautiful, unique, and colorful glass ranging from chandeliers to intricate sculptures. The gift shop was a hit and we had time to also explore a lot of the other glass shops on the island before we headed to St. Marks. 

 

The water taxi took us to St. Marks. It was a long ride! As soon as we got off I felt fine but it definitely isn’t the smoothest ride. St. Marks is located in a famous piazza; I recognized it from, The Italian Job and Just Married.  It looks different than the movies portray it to be or maybe different than what I would have expected. Holy pigeons! I‘m not a violent person but I seriously had the thought that someone needs to shoot all of those dang pigeons. They fly right by you. Literally touch you! St. Marks is free so that is the first great thing about it and it has the most amazing mosaics I have ever seen. It amazes me at how attentive these people were to details. Intense dedication. 

(St. Marks)

We felt are way back to the hotel. I couldn’t believe it. No missed turns, we went straight there. The hotel was a nice place to relax, take a nap and get ready for our evening out. Ericka, Allie and I had dinner at a cute outdoor café and we met up with Jennifer and Janette for an evening Gondola ride. Our gondolier couldn’t have been better. Although he had been out working on the canal for 12 hours he was energetic and kind. I asked him what he would sing to love birds, “what is your best romantic song?” and he sang the most beautiful song. It was so peaceful and the lights lit up the city sky.  We headed back to the hotel all smiles. 20 euros for a great memory! Tomorrow we are off to Paris on an overnight train ride. Good sleep is in order…

(twiners)