Anne at the keyboard:
Restocking the fridge was needed so we walked around to the closest supermarket with the handy trolley provided in our very comfortable flat and did this quite quickly. We then stopped at Bar Brasilia for due cappuccini which cost only 3 Euro, so a good deal. We did as the locals do and stood at the bar.
As the weather forecast promised sun after lunch we decided to take the ferry to Burano which is 40 minutes from Fondamente Nove which is the quickest way to do it. This ferry stop is in another Sestiere or district called Cannaregio.
The ferry cost 30 E for two and we arrived just in time for one to depart. The trip was uneventful and so was the island really, apart from some bright and colourful buildings and another leaning tower. The island is famous for lace and the Lace Museum had a display of the intricate and time consuming work done over the centuries. One woman described how as a young girl starting out she did her best but the teacher always ripped up her work saying it was substandard. She looked very old and had been doing the work all her life so I guess she developed a thick skin, or perhaps she had no choice if she wanted to earn a living.
We had a light lunch of panini in a bar where we could hear a poker machine being played out the back. As is always the case, the food was delicious. A fifteen minute wait for the return ferry and we decided to buy a panettone- Italian Xmas cake seen also in Sydney at this time of year- en route. We also had a coffee and Mick got an amazing Venetian cake made of almond and pistacchio.
Mick here: I have to confess to being less underwhelmed by Burano. It sits in a rather stark contrast to the main island. This pretty little fishing settlement is, underneath its touristy facade, still a working proposition for the fishermen, with boats literally parked in front of many of the houses. Where in Venice we had become used to narrow alleys unbroken by open space, and constantly interrupted by bridges and steps, here there was a sense of openness, with little parks and larger streets and even trees and grass!
I was wondering about whether there was a school on the island. There was indeed - perhaps the largest building in town. Perhaps it was pre-school to high school, but we couldn't tell, at least in part because Italian schools finish so early each day.
PS. A few photos posted each day to the blog as well.

PPS We dined in this evening : a bottle of Valpolicella Ripasso for under 10 euro at the supermarket (!) and a regional variant on risotto called risi e bisi- rice and peas. Beautifully cooked by Anne. Easier than risotto (no stirring) and just as tasty.