We did more exploring of Venice today, starting with a vaporetto ride to Piazza San Marco to see about the line up for the Basilica. We were inside in about five minutes and it was worth the short wait. No pictures allowed inside unfortunately, but it was very, very beautiful.
Note the people...we must be in the right place. Honestly, sometimes when we navigate public transport we just follow the crowd. It usually works out. We also ask and I am always astonished at how patient and helpful people are. All the tourists in Venice must be a real frustration for the locals.
Then we did more random wandering. We stopped for lunch at a spot that struck our fancy and were very pleased with our choice. We met a couple from Sydney, Australia who were seated at the next table and had a great visit. I overheard the young people at the table behind us discussing British Columbia craft beers in very British accents and had a chat with them too. They are from Cambridge but working in Vancouver for the winter...one teaching skiing at Grouse, and the other in construction. They are in Venice for a cousin's wedding.
Two boats negotiating a tight waterway. Fun to watch.
Well, this is a bike blog after all! We would have brought this home, and I mean it, but felt the brakes wouldn't survive the trip, no matter how well bubble wrapped.
The next stop was La Fenice. My book club read John Berendt's 'City of Fallen Angels' and I wanted to see the opera house. Keith wasn't quite so keen, so he waited outside, but I was perfectly content on my own. You will note a difference in the quality of the photos though. It was just as I had imagined it, and I got to sit in the Royal Box, so I thoroughly enjoyed it. There was a Maria Callas exhibit that was worthwhile as well.
Then more wandering, hand in hand, because it is Venice, but really because I don't want to trip.
The next day we hopped onto the vaparetto again to see the islands of Murano, Burano and Torcella. Murano came first, after a great tour of the grand canal. It is full of glass shops, some with absolutely spectacular art works and some with stuff I wouldn't want to give house room to. It was great to wander around, almost a less crowded version of Venice.
Then it was on to Burano. We loved it. It is known for its multicoloured houses and lived up to its reputation. It is small, easy to navigate and full of linen and lace shops. After both islands we decided to skip Torcello, which was a good call as we were both ready for a break. We jumped on the vaporetto to Piazza St. Marco, and then, rather than continue by water bus we walked back to the hotel, soaking it all in. We took the round about route, over the Rialto Bridge one more time and through the quiet alleys. Keith didn't take a single picture, we just walked and enjoyed.
