Last weekend, I went to Venice for a day trip with my roommates Chrissy and Kay. We took a night train into the ancient city, which is comprised of 118 small islands all linked by an endless maze of canals and bridges. We spent the morning wandering through the the winding passages and found our way to St. Mark's Square. The piazza was beautiful in the early morning with the foggy sea air hanging over the crowded square. We walked across the famous Rialto Bridge which spans the Grand Canal, and got a peek at the Bridge of Sighs.
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| Gondolas of Venice |
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| Kay and I on the Grand Canal |
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| St. Mark's Square |
In the afternoon, we went on a four hour boat excursion to the islands of Murano, Torcello, and Burano. In Murano, we watched a glass blowing demonstration. The master glass blower made a glass horse in less than 3 minutes. I was mesmerized by the whole thing! In Torcello, we entered into an overgrown island full of picturesque canals and vineyards. The final island, Burano, is a fishing village where all the houses are painted different bright colors. In fact, for a resident of Burano to paint their house, they must seek approval for the shade of paint that they choose! We wandered around the town admiring the souvenirs and lace products which they are famous for in Burano. Then we hopped back on the tour boat and headed back to Venice.
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| Heating up the glass during the demonstration in Murano |
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| The glass blowing master making his horse |
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| My reaction to the glass blowing show |
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| Walking the peaceful paths in Torcello |
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| The colorful houses of Burano |
After a full day of exploring one of Italy's gems, we headed back on a late night train to Florence.
