Venezia!!!!!!!
Wow!
Loved it.
Arrived at the hotel at midnight last night. Was a pretty big travel day.
Only the last 2 hours of the 6 hour bus trip was a little hard. Tried to sleep but I really need one of those neck cushions....
Yes... I know Brooke .... 'I won't be sleeping on the bus! I'm in Europe'
Oh boy.... You really need to sleep on the bus sometimes. So to try to alleviate the cricked neck, I have been looking for one of those neck cushions. But we don't go anywhere near where they sell them. So last night,at an Autogrill, that's a huge BP truck stop on the Freeways .... I was seriously considering a large, soft, stuffed toy dolphin or a 4' long soft, stuffed toy snake.
( Personally, I was leaning towards the snake but others thought the dolphin would be better. So on the end, I gave up and got back on the bus.)
One of these pillows on this bed is looking mighty good at the moment... If I can just figure out how to cut it in half and stuff it up my T-shirt to get on the bus, I'll be fine.
Anyway....
Up at 6.15am
On our way to Venice.... By bus... Then boat!
Wow!
First we went to a glass blowing Demonstration by Murano. think I saw Giovanni, Narelle!
Funnily enough he seems to be flowing my blog.
Just you wait until I can get Google translate up and running.....
That was great. Then checked out all the beautiful glass made there.
I really loved this.... Thought I would though. Had checked it out on the Internet before I left.
I bought something.
I bought a little black glass horse.
Of course you did.
Hope he's well packed.

One of the ladies in our group, Helen, collapsed in the glass shop and was unconscious for a time. We have 3 nurses on our tour. 2 of the famous 3 NZ sisters and Yvonne, of the 'you look way too old to climb stairs' in Paris fame.
They were right onto it but she had to be taken by (boat) ambulance to hospital. She is doing much better but they are running tests.
Pretty upsetting for everyone... We have got to know each other pretty well now.
Anyway, Calvin keeps us up to date as much as he can.

Hopped on a boat that took us to the main island of Venice. We were early which was great because the crowds were enormous just an hour later.
Turned left at the dock and headed to St Mark's Square.
Loved the history of. Venice .
116 islands, I think.
Basically, people were being persecuted and hunted down. They took refuge in the middle of a very, very large swamp with tiny islands which were nothing more than mud flats... Invested with all types of biting insects.
The chasers said, ' b***** that. You can have that all to yourself'.... Gave up chasing and left.
Now, these new Swamp dwellers discovered if they hammered wood down into the mud, and if it was completely submerged, it did not decay... So they lay the foundations for their homes.
Venice is in trouble today because of the bow waves from passing boats. These waves expose the foundations to the air and the wood rots.
Hence much work being done on protecting and preserving.
But... And it's a big but.... These people didn't have a Saint to call their own.... So they went to Egypt and stole the remains of St Mark... And apparently smuggled him out of the country hidden beneath a shipment of pork.... No was touching the pork... Very clever.
And buried the remains in St Mark's Square.

Loved Venice... But boy is it crowded.
St Mark's Square was amazing and beautiful.
Walked to the Realto Bridge through tiny narrow streets lined with wonderful shops... View from the bridge was amazing.
Checked out ' The Bridge of Siges' so named because this was the bridge that connected the Palace and the prison.... So it was a big sigh if you were convicted in the Palace and were walking to the prison.

People were paid in salt ( sali )
'Are you worth your salt?'
Sali .... That's where the word salary comes from.
Didn't know that.

'Dux' .... Head man of Venice.

The first mirrors were made in Venice.
And how to make them was a secret. They kept the glass makers virtual prisoners on an island so it could remain a secret.... Glass with a backing of mercury.

Amazing stuff, hey?

Oh...

Then we went on a gondola ride.
6 to a boat... But I was assigned to one with 4 .... Because, we were serenaded. Singer and piano accordionist were on our boat!
Great, great fun!
Half hour trip... Not that steady those boats ... Wonderful sights... Wonderful music ... And he kept having to duck for the bridges!

Then, we went on a lagoon cruise.
Fascinating!
We were told that the lagoon is only about
40-80cms deep. Doesn't seem right but saw people walking out there so perhaps it is in areas.
It was wonderful to see this city from a distance. It is beautiful.
So we were taken to the island of Burano.
I think you may have been here, Brooke.
Now this made this day special for everyone.
Beautiful island.
Every house painted a different colour.
No crowds.
Supposed to be what life in Venice was like a long time ago.
We had an organised sit down lunch here and the time to wander.
Traditional lace makers and glass blowers on this island.
Because the cost of traditional lace would price itself out of existence if the people had to charge for their time, in order to keep this tradition going, the government pays the lace workers a wage to continue doing it the old way.
The shops were magnificent.

Back at the hotel by 6.30pm.
Great day....
One of the nicest really... And all because of the visit to Burano.

Oh my god...Cap't Jack has commented on my blog.

I burst out laughing on the bus ... Started to explain ... Thought better of it... And just kept it to myself.
But THAT was ever better than the David Tennant comments.

Thank you.

Going to sleep now xxx