Julie Sees VENICE!

So it's onward and upward to Venice. It was really sad leaving Sara but she had to get back to her classes. Venice --the city built on closely spaced wood piles! Under water with the absence of oxygen wood cannot rot! The city afloat! One hundred and twenty little islands and four hundred bridges in northern Italy. AT one point it was said that the city was sinking. Since then that thought has been rescinded. But sometimes even now the tourism industry claim within fifty years the city will be gone.

Mom and I were not properly dressed and were mighty chilled even on this enclosed water bus on the way to Murano island. Murano Island - A Glassmaker's Paradise Since 1291, this tiny Venetian island has been the home of Venice's glassmaking industry. Glass production was moved to Murano Island from the main part of Venice because its production posed quite a fire hazard. We were so excited and decided that whether we were frozen or not...we were going to have a great time.

What a view!

More beauty way older that anything in my country!
This tallest feature is Piazza San Marco

Dagnabbit! Empress Bee! What is this place called? Oh oh oh~~! I found it...this is St. Mark's Basilica. Friends! Check this out! It's over 1000 years old! We also toured the Doges' Palace..but I can't find any pictures of it....drats!

This is the infamous Bridge of Sighs. This bridge links the Doges' Palace courtrooms to the prisons. The walk was very narrow and I was glad that I was short because there wasn't much clearance. If you want to see some amazing pictures of the palace just google Doges' Palace. It was breathtaking!

This is the most popular Rialto Bridge. Our tour guide told us that the more reasonable shops were after you crossed this bridge. We grabbed a quick bite to eat. Had I mentioned that wine is cheaper then water in this country? **giggles** There was a sign in the little place we got lunch that said the seating was only for people who ordered pasta dinner! If you just got a sandwich you had to stand! So we took our sandwich and wine outside and sat! Of course we took the wine glasses back inside.

These lovely lampposts were everywhere.
Made of course from Murano glass colored to a perfect shade of rose.

We didn't spend too much time in the glass blowing factory but it was by far the most impressive glass factory and showroom I have ever seen. Check out the tree with birds above and the detailed chandelier below.

There were many items worthy of picture taking but we were so rushed.
Bummer!

More beautiful canals.

I think this was taken while I was standing on the Rialto bridge

Here is one of the gondola docking areas.

I just read the most exciting article on gondolas....should I bore you with all the details?
Well if you are interested-- here you go...CLICK HERE!

Okay this guy...yeah up there...he was a jerk. Every time I moved he got all in a tizzy! An Italian tizzy no less! I mean the water was only at 3 feet...it's not like anyone would have drowned and I had pictures to take dagnabbit! And then...another gondola in our group didn't want their champagne.....so....well....*blush* I leaned into their gondola and held on till they passed their bottle over to us!

This was a lovely sight during the gondola ride...when I wasn't getting yelled at! Tee hee hee!

This was the most elaborate hotel of the trip. Check out those tall trees! Cypress perhaps? Absolutely beautiful. We had a suite! We don't know why...unless the tour director thought that Sara was going to stay with us. Marble floors that heated up when you turned the light switch on! A towel rack that kept the bath towels warm!

Look! Isn't it most inviting? I think this hotel was on Lido island.

This is the lobby. It was just a sight to behold! I loved it! An adjoining room had a piano and a lady from our group enjoyed playing. I liked that too.

Outside the hotel in the courtyard.

Leaving the lobby area. This is one city I would really love to go back to again. We only had one night at this hotel and we didn't arrive until after 6pm and we left just at daylight.

So the final leg of our journey yet to come will be Siena and the last night in Rome. I hope you've been enjoying the pictures and little stories.

Hugs, Happiness and Harmony!
Julie