While you are in Venice . . . .

I wanted to mention some of  the interesting things one can do in Venice.

 

Explore the myriad of alleyways and bridges that connect the islands of Venice – you can usually get back to your main district (in our case it was St. Mark’s Square) by reading the signs on the corners of the old buildings:

 

So, now you can go exploring!

Lots and lots of cafes and great little restaura

Centuries-old stone apartments

Going between the islands meant a trip over many bridges

 

Take a gondola ride!  Belinda arranged for a “flotilla” of gondolas to take all of us through the canals, threading through the beautiful old buildings and under many stone bridges:

O' Solo Mio . . . !

 

Take a coffee or water break on St. Mark’s Square.  During our time in Venice, the weather was very hot and deeply muggy – sitting in the shade for a break was a necessary break:

Visit the Murano Glass Factory – which dates back hundreds of years – where you can watch a demonstration of glass blowing.  We weren’t allowed to take pictures inside the store, but it was a treat to see so many beautiful hand-blown colorful glass objects, from the simple to the unbelievably ornate.  Below is the demonstration we watched – he made a glass horse using only the three tools they are permitted to use: a metal  cup to round out the hot glass as it comes out of the oven, and pinchers and scissors to create the shapes:

See his pinchers above pulling out a leg

With his scissors, he cuts the horse away from the rod -
it is still so hot that the paper he dropped on it immediately ignited!

Voila!

Take a boat ride to the town of Burano – which is known for its colorful houses and buildings, its own leading tower, and handmade linens:

You would actually be surprised by how many towers lean in Italy . . . .

Of course, there is much more to see while in Venice, but these are the things we accomplished in our few days.  We headed to Salzburg, Austria the next day . . . .