Our tour director is Mario, though thanks to an auto correct sent from my tour consultant when we were trying to sort things out in Atlanta, Mario is my toy tractor. I shared that text with Mario tonight, and he laughed really hard about it. He thinks he is Super Mario, and has a Super Mario hanging from the bus so we can find our bus. His ring tone is the Mario Brothers theme song.
We took the bus to the Marina in Jesolo, and boarded a water taxi to Venice proper. Our first stop was on the Murano island for a glass blowing demonstration. He made a vase while we watched. Harlea said she felt like she was at Dollywood. Then they made a jumping horse. That was pretty cool. Interesting fact: glass blowing is a skill taught by fathers to sons, and only 2% become first level masters. We got the sales pitch to buy some glass, and while it was beautiful, it's not my thing, I looked around for while, and then sat in the shade to wait for the others. Interesting fact#2: amethyst is the "Venetian" color. The lamps in San Marco Square are colored amethyst. For some reason, red glass is about 20 Euro more expensive than amethyst and blue. He didn't tell us why, but I assume that it is whatever is used to make the dye for the glass. Murano glass is bonded with gold, which makes it virtually unbreakable.
We then ferried across the Grand Canal to meet up with our city guide, Daniella. We have these little headsets that allows us to hear her more easily, but Venice streets are so windy, every time she went around the corner I lost what she was saying, but she was funny and told some cool stuff. Interesting fact #3, 4, & 5: Venice was built by sinking wooden timbers in mud. Overtime, they have petrified into stone. Venice is no longer sinking, but still suffering from floods. They have been in the process of building gates to control this, but it has been a long process, and at one time the Italian Government stopped sending money for the project. They are supposed to be complete in 2014, but Daniella doubts that will happen.
We had a lunch stop (spaghetti with bolognese sauce...that's tomato and meat sauce), and then the girls were going to ride a gondola. It's the ultimate tourist thing to do in Venice, and I highly recommend it, but I've done that. I really wanted to take a picture of the girls going down one of the canals, but I just missed them on one canal and then couldn't find them again. So, I went to the Campenelli. The view over Venice was beautiful. I kept trying to decide if I wanted to put the zoom lens on my camera, but finally decided that that wouldn't do justice to the scope of the view. I know you want to see pictures, but I have no way to upload them.
The best thing to do in Venice is to get lost. I wondered around the alleyways until I finally found the Rialto Bridge. It's nice. I would love to see it at night, but on EF trips, we depart Venice to return to the hotel around 6:00. Making my way back to San Marco Square was easier. I stopped at the Hard Rock Cafe for a guitar pin. Backpacks are not allowed in the Basilica, but there is a place to hold them. I couldn't figure out that place, and then the line to the Basilica disappeared, so I guess they closed. I guess that's a next time thing, huh?
Interesting fact #7 & 8: it is illegal to sit anywhere in San Marco Square except in benches. Not on steps, not on the ground. People in orange shirts will come yell at you. It is also illegal to feed the Pigeons, so there are a lot fewer pigeons in the square now, but they will still come land on you.
I had about thirty minutes to kill, but there are no benches in San Marco Square on which to legally sit on (if no one else is one them). Doge's Palace is on our itinerary, so I used my ticket to go sit on a bench and people watch for fifteen minutes. Plus, I used a bathroom I didn't have to pay to use. The flushers were in the floor. You step on it to flush. We need these in the states.
By then, it was time to join our group for the trip back to Jesolo. It was a nice, relaxing ride and we all groaned when stood up after all the walking we did today. Mario had pulled me aside earlier and said the company was working with the airline to try to get our luggage to us tonight, and he announces on the bus that all four bags were in. When we arrive, they bring out three bags and Sunshine is about to cry. The guy double checks and we are happy campers.
We have supper in clean clothes and go down to the beach where the girls kick around a soccer ball, after Mario and Vincenzo (our bus driver) shows off their stuff. I finally eat some gelato. How have I been in Italy for two days and not had gelato yet! I tried banana. Chocolate is better.
Tomorrow we drive to Florence. New stuff for me!
Best part of the day: sorry, Venice, I don't think you've ever seen four happier humans in clean clothes.
Worst part of the day: that leg cramp I just got. It was a beast, but at least it waited till night. Hopefully I'll sleep it off. Ciao!
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