Venice, Italy

Ominous clouds as we paddle home

Primarily sheltering inside, Alan has almost completed another outside project.  With the pilings on the dock cleaned of barnacles, he is wrapping the pilings with vinyl so the barnacles will never return (hopefully).  Nailing underwater is just as challenging as it sounds.  He is awaiting appropriate tide and wind conditions to finalize the job.  

I’ve finished the initial editing and transfer of all 350+ blogs to Pages.  More writing and editing need to be done, but accomplishing this first step was a big hurdle.  

Early morning kayaking provides an ideal social distancing activity.  The Indian River Lagoon seems to supply an endless array of beautiful images and opportunities to interact with Mother Nature as we paddle along.

Resuming our European vacation story, I’m continuing to flex my brain by delving into this long-past experience.

Approaching San Marcos

June 2000.  Flying into the Marco Polo Airport built along the edge of the Venetian lagoon, we were soon boarding a vaporetto (public water bus) to transfer to Venice.  Registered at the Hotel American overlooking the Grand Canal, we were just a 5-minute walk from our accommodations when we were dropped at the San Marcos ferry terminal.  Venice is situated on the Adriatic Sea of northeastern Italy and is composed of 118 small islands that are separated by canals.

Arriving late in the day, we wandered through St. Marcos

Square and the winding alleyways of the city to orient ourselves.  Gondoliers, a part of this city’s history since the 11th century, glided past us adding a romantic touch.  Though there was plenty to see in Venice, the following morning we headed out on the vaporetta to the nearby island, Murano.  After landing at the Faro terminal, we took a short walk along the waterfront to the Vetreria Artistica Colleoni Glass Factory.  Initially, we headed into the workshop.  Enthralled by the spectacular process, we spent quite a while watching the craftsmen create a variety of items.  Using glass-blowing and a myriad of other techniques for shaping the pieces was fascinating.  Moving into the store afterward, we were inspired to purchase dishes, glassware, and decorative items, and arranged for their shipment back to the USA.  

Heading back to the terminal, we took the 45-minute ferry to Burano.  Considered the most colorful of the lagoon islands, brightly painted houses fringe the waterfront.  Fishermen and lacemakers by tradition, much of the island's income now comes from tourism.  Meandering along the streets a number of older women were sitting outside their homes making lace.  Items, of course, were for sale, but the tedious, time-consuming effort involved in creating the lovely pieces means they are understandably expensive.

With lunchtime approaching, we headed to the highly-rated Black Cat restaurant.  Open since 1965, they are famous for serving the tastiest of fresh fish and seafood and their exquisite cuisine did not disappoint.   

Returning to the San Marcos terminal, we headed to the Piazza San Marco and the Campanile (Bell tower) that provides a fabulous overview of the city, surrounding islands, and lagoon.  Originally built as a lighthouse, tourists can now be whisked to the top via an elevator.  We moved next to the Palazzo Ducale (Doge’s Palace).   Built as the seat of government in the 9th century, the original palace was destroyed and was reconstructed in the 12th century.  Signing up for a tour, we were led over 3 floors through the richly decorated structure.  Elaborate chandeliers, fresco walls and ceilings,

statues, and paintings graced the building.  Our tour was concluded with a walk over the Bridge of Sighs, built in 1614. Connecting the Palace to the Prison, a small window on the bridge would allow prisoners one last glimpse of freedom before being thrown into the dungeons.   

Most activities on the island are accomplished by boat; garbage pickup, food deliveries, etc. are completed with uniquely designed vessels.  Much of the commercial movement on the water takes place in the early hours of the day before the rest of the city comes to life.  

Our second morning, we headed to the Basilica de Santo Marcos.  Considered one of the best examples of Byzantine architecture in the world, the ornate exterior is outshone by the dazzling gold-leaf mosaic tiles of the interior.  After spending hours exploring the cathedral, we spent the remainder of our day ducking into countless little stores.  Shopping for souvenirs, we found it easy to get lost in the maze of streets.  

The following morning, we headed back to the airport to fly to our next destination, Florence.