mmm, shopping

Happy, happy day! Filled with shopping, glass, and shopping for glass. Day did not start off so well, as was freezing cold during night and woke up several times. Clueless sorority girl roommates were up at 8 and showering/drying-moussing-spraying hair. Amy overheard them asking B&B guy how to get to Rialto. Um, it's a 2-minute walk away, and if you didn't know where it was, how did you find the B&B in the first place? Anyway.

Hopped on #82 waterbus and got off at Piazzle Roma to find out about transportation to airport. Unfortunately, 4 am public transit bus doesn't run on Monday, as is holiday, but a private company has bus that arrives at airport at 5:20 (leaves 5 am). This seemed OK, but we can't buy our tickets till Sunday (weirdness w/ timetable changes).

Then hopped #42 to take us to Murano, aka Glass Island. Trip long but lovely. Water so nice. Miss water. First visited glass museum (and got 1.50 euro off admission w/ ISIC cards! Finally, they're useful!) Glass v. pretty, some truly amazing stuff. Wandered island a bit poking around in various glass shops. Finally found some workshops where they were actually blowing glass. At first one, watched 2 guys make glass flowers (to be used in creation of some large piece). At second, saw vase and horse. Absolutely incredible to see horse born out of molten glass. Amy bought one to remind her of amazing creation process.

Returned to Venice proper by #5 waterbus (much faster). Off at San Zaccharias. Visited Piazza San Marco. Admired exterior or church, but line to see interior so long that decided not to bother. Looked for library as in Indiana Jones & Last Crusade but reality did not match fiction (v. disappointing). Also had inferior, overpriced gelato.

Now shopping time! (Hurray!) Walked up main shopping drag and in general direction of Rialto. Successfully purchased Venetian lace/linen for Amy and myself at 2 different stores (go us!). Found adorable glass Santa Claus ornament, promptly bought it. Spent tons of time trying on masks, Amy eventually bought 2. Also purchased (for self) mini Venetian mask, angel ornament, and small sculpted candle (watched candle guys make a couple of candles today!). Shopped, shopped, shopped. Happy. :) Also bought big chocolate Nestle egg w/ "sorprese" inside (turned out to be Monsters, Inc coin bag).

After resting at home a bit, went off to eat. Passed several places up as "too expensive" and finally stopped at Trattoria Bruno, where food was slightly less expensive. V. interesting experience, as one waiter was Harvard-stick-up-butt uptight and other was half-sketchy, half-funny older guy inordinately fascinated by my ponytail. Between him tugging on my hair and preparing fish for us at table (removing bones, head, etc), felt rather like six-year-old. Well, except for bottle of wine. (Nice, sparkling wine, left self rather giggly.) After paid for dinner, went home to B&B where crawled into toasty bed (not as cold tonight, in fact lovely weather today). Easter tomorrow!

mmm, shopping

Happy, happy day! Filled with shopping, glass, and shopping for glass. Day did not start off so well, as was freezing cold during night and woke up several times. Clueless sorority girl roommates were up at 8 and showering/drying-moussing-spraying hair. Amy overheard them asking B&B guy how to get to Rialto. Um, it's a 2-minute walk away, and if you didn't know where it was, how did you find the B&B in the first place? Anyway.

Hopped on #82 waterbus and got off at Piazzle Roma to find out about transportation to airport. Unfortunately, 4 am public transit bus doesn't run on Monday, as is holiday, but a private company has bus that arrives at airport at 5:20 (leaves 5 am). This seemed OK, but we can't buy our tickets till Sunday (weirdness w/ timetable changes).

Then hopped #42 to take us to Murano, aka Glass Island. Trip long but lovely. Water so nice. Miss water. First visited glass museum (and got 1.50 euro off admission w/ ISIC cards! Finally, they're useful!) Glass v. pretty, some truly amazing stuff. Wandered island a bit poking around in various glass shops. Finally found some workshops where they were actually blowing glass. At first one, watched 2 guys make glass flowers (to be used in creation of some large piece). At second, saw vase and horse. Absolutely incredible to see horse born out of molten glass. Amy bought one to remind her of amazing creation process.

Returned to Venice proper by #5 waterbus (much faster). Off at San Zaccharias. Visited Piazza San Marco. Admired exterior or church, but line to see interior so long that decided not to bother. Looked for library as in Indiana Jones & Last Crusade but reality did not match fiction (v. disappointing). Also had inferior, overpriced gelato.

Now shopping time! (Hurray!) Walked up main shopping drag and in general direction of Rialto. Successfully purchased Venetian lace/linen for Amy and myself at 2 different stores (go us!). Found adorable glass Santa Claus ornament, promptly bought it. Spent tons of time trying on masks, Amy eventually bought 2. Also purchased (for self) mini Venetian mask, angel ornament, and small sculpted candle (watched candle guys make a couple of candles today!). Shopped, shopped, shopped. Happy. :) Also bought big chocolate Nestle egg w/ "sorprese" inside (turned out to be Monsters, Inc coin bag).

After resting at home a bit, went off to eat. Passed several places up as "too expensive" and finally stopped at Trattoria Bruno, where food was slightly less expensive. V. interesting experience, as one waiter was Harvard-stick-up-butt uptight and other was half-sketchy, half-funny older guy inordinately fascinated by my ponytail. Between him tugging on my hair and preparing fish for us at table (removing bones, head, etc), felt rather like six-year-old. Well, except for bottle of wine. (Nice, sparkling wine, left self rather giggly.) After paid for dinner, went home to B&B where crawled into toasty bed (not as cold tonight, in fact lovely weather today). Easter tomorrow!