Phil
and I awake at 7:18 am -- we are supposed
to meet Patte and Dave for breakfast at 7:30 am. I think we overslept because in the course of
the turn-down service, the shutters are closed on the outside of the windows so
the room is always dark.
We arrive
at the Terrazzo Restaurant about 10
minutes late for a very good breakfast except they cannot seem to get the
coffee hot enough -- perhaps this is a worldwide problem.
Off
we go to Murano Island -- where there are a number of factories and workshops
making the famous Murano Glass. The 4.2
ACTV vaporetto is the boat to take at a cost of 7.50 Euros each. Boat ride is 40 minutes to the first stop on
the island. Rather than follow the crowd
to the left where someone has said there is a factory with a glass blowing demonstration, we walk straight down the main drag to get our
bearings. We pass shops of all types from very expensive to very touristy.
This
is a nice island -- which I imagine is packed with people during the summer, As we meander we pass through a large plaza
towards the water -- turning a corner we see a sign advertising a glass
blowing demonstration. We inquire about
the cost and find it is 2 Euros --- good enough for us.
The
demo is terrific -- the heat of the ovens and the red-hot glass is remarkable
--these glassblowers don't wear gloves and are so casual as they whip the glass
at the end of long poles in and out of the ovens. It is
fun to guess at what the master is making -- in our case a small horse up on it's hind legs.
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| Glassblowers Working Their Craft! |
After
the demo we've had enough of Murano and opt to go back to Venice. Just as we get off the vaporetto (at a
different stop in Venice) -- we see "Pizzeria Bar Al Cupido" and
since it is past noon -- it looks like a
good lunch place ---- it is.
We
begin our afternoon with a visit to Santa Maria dei Miracoli -- not far from
the Rialto Bridge. This church was built
between 1481 and 1489 to house an icon of the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child purported to perform miracles. It is an example of early Venetian
Renaissance style including the colored marble.
The church is unusual and a bit
austere but lovely as it showcases the original icon on a raised altar.
 |
| Patte, Dave and Phil in front of Santa Maria dei Miracoli |
 |
| The Miraculous Icon from 15th Century. |
Next it is off to the Gran Teatro La Fenice (Venice's opera house) -- a spectacular structure which seats 1,126 including 174 boxes on both sides of the theatre. Patte and Dave read John Berendt's "The City of Falling Angels" so visiting the opera house is a must. This structure was built in 1792 replacing the San Benedetto Theatre which burned to the ground in 1774. In 1836 a fire destroyed this building -- rebuilding took one year. Then in 1996 -- fire again destroyed La Fenice (this time it was arson) --- rebuilding was completed in 2003. Interestingly enough -- both times fire ravaged this structure, the lobby was not destroyed.
The
tour is self-guided with voice boxes but no photos allowed -- so we take our time enjoying the
atmosphere -- including a practice session going on in the orchestra pit. There
are two entrances to La Fenice: one from the plaza and the other from a canal
(which is now used strictly as a loading dock).
 |
| Front Door of La Fenice |
 |
| Back Door of La Fenice on the Canal -- much prettier but is now a loading dock! |
Next on the agenda is a break for coffee in the small bar at our hotel -- where Giuseppe takes good care of us -- even checking all possibilities (unsuccessfully) to get me a gelato.
After
a brief rest -- we regroup for dinner.
Our choice is Bistrot de Venise -- directly across the street from our
hotel -- highly recommended by Ugo who is on the desk when I inquire about dinner possibilities.
Meals, service and ambiance at Bistrot de Venise are second to none. After dinner, a stroll down Calle dei Fabbri
to a gelato shop for some dessert provides the perfect ending to productive day
in Venice.
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| Phil and Pat with Bridge of Sighs in background. |
Thanks for Reading.
Pat
