Venice - City of 100 IslandsPatricia rented a private boat to take us from the parking lot pier to the islands of Venice. During my travels there are occasions where I catch my breath and think “Am I really here at this place I’ve only seen in movies or books?” I experienced that feeling as the boat whisked us across the water. I’m really in Venice, Italy and not California! Our hotel was super close to St. Mark’s Basilica and Square. Patricia explained a basilica is a church commissioned by an emperor. Prior to our first dinner in Venice, Patricia took us on a brief tour and we walked through twisty-turny alleyways until we reached the Grand Canal as the sun was setting. After dinner Patricia had arranged for us to have a gondola ride along with a singer and accordion player. WOW Moment! The ride was the highlight of my entire trip. The singer’s voice and music echoed against the stone buildings along the canals. It was magical as we made our way to the Grand Canal. Then all of our gondolas lined up side to side and everyone sang "Volare". It was another travel moment where you pinch yourself and ask, Is this for reals? I wanted the moment to last forever. Bucket List, Check. |
Murano and BuranoThe next day I decided to skip the morning group tour and ventured out to the islands of Murano and Burano. Because Venice is made up of islands, there are no buses. Rather, public transportation is a system of vaporetti or boats that glide across the Venetian waters. First stop was the island of Murano which is famous for its glass. After the throngs of people and hustle and bustle of Venice, Murano was a welcome change of pace. It was quiet and relaxing to window shop and peak into some of the small glass shops. I found several colorful pendants and earrings for myself. After a couple hours I caught a vaporetto to Burano. WOW Moment turns into WOW afternoon Burano is incredibly quaint and picturesque with the most colorful palette of buildings –yellow, blue, violet, red, purple, orange, green, turquoise, etc. It was so peaceful and fun to explore the canals and narrow streets of Burano. It was if I thousands of miles away from Venice. There were more locals than tourists which made for a more authentic feel of Italy. Around every corner was another photo opportunity. Literally, I took over 300 pictures just that day! After walking around the island an hour or so, I enjoyed dinner in the village center. I love people watching when I’m in a new location. As the tourists left Burano, more and more locals appeared. Kids ran around playing and riding their scooters while parents talked to one another. After my tiramisu I picked up my camera and continued on my photo journey. Amazingly, the alleys and canals were nearly empty of people. Around one corner there were four men in their 60s singing wonderful Italian songs. I love moments like those. As the shadows became longer, I headed to the west side of Burano to watch the sunset. It was brilliant with the sky and water colored in pinks and purples. A perfect ending to a perfect day. |