Day 227, 16 February 2013, Murano Island. We wrangled the gear back into the bags this morning and regretfully checked out of the gorgeous Hotel Belle Epoque. Can you believe that we've spent our 4 nights in Venice and it's Packing Day already? We certainly couldn't. Today we headed back to Murano to visit the Museum of Glass and we saw some incredible specimens of Roman glass from the 1st and 2nd centuries. Incredibly accurate and stylish and unbelievably in...

Day 226, 15 February 2013, Venezia, Italia. Every time we walk the narrow laneways, cross the bridges and explore the shops and markets, it feels like we see something new in Venice. We were fascinated to learn that Peggy Guggenheim (daughter of the magnate who went down with the Titanic) was once resident in Venice. She adored the place in fact and her body is buried along with 20 or so of her dogs in the grounds of her palazzo on the Grand Canal. The palazz...

Day 225, 14 February 2013 - San Valentino Day - Venice, Italy. We coughed up €70 for our 3 day unlimited transport passes and merrily set off on a waterbus up the Grand Canal - Wow! Sun shining, birds singing, it was all happening. We stepped ashore at the Rialto Bridge which was packed with tourists - pretty sure Venice is the most photographed city in the world - because everything is gorgeous. We were fascinated to see a water "ambulanza" picking up a pat...

Day 224, 13 February 2013, Venice, Italy. Had a fabulous breakfast at the glorious Hotel Belle Epoque and ventured out in daylight. (Well, Italian fabulous.... eggs and meat were involved. Also, strangely, a lot of mayonnaise... but they did have muesli and the juice was more than tangentially related to actual fruit!) We walked from our Canareggio end of town through to the Rialto bridge and explored the nearby market. We are still fascinated by the gondola...

Day 223, 12 February 2013, Venice! Venezia! Gondolas and bridges, canals and islands, masks and magic and major glass art! Can't help it, have to do another entry for today. We arrived into Venice / Venezia at about 8 pm and were happily stunned to find our hotel less than five minutes walk from the train station. Just because it says that when you book it, doesn't mean it always happens. We're booked at the Hotel Belle Epoque and were blown away at the Venet...